reprieve

[ri-preev]

verb (used with object)

reprieved, reprieving 

1. to delay the impending punishment or sentence of (a condemned person).

2. to relieve temporarily from any evil.

noun

1. a respite from impending punishment, as from execution of a sentence of death.

2. a warrant authorizing this.

3. any respite or temporary relief.

   Synonyms: deferment, stay, postponement, delay

reprieve

/ rɪˈpriːv /

verb

1. to postpone or remit the punishment of (a person, esp one condemned to death)

2. to give temporary relief to (a person or thing), esp from otherwise irrevocable harm

   the government has reprieved the company with a huge loan

noun

1. a postponement or remission of punishment, esp of a person condemned to death

2. a warrant granting a postponement

3. a temporary relief from pain or harm; respite

4. the act of reprieving or the state of being reprieved

Other Word Forms

• repriever noun
• unreprieved adjective
• reprievable adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of reprieve¹

First recorded in 1300–50; perhaps conflation of Middle English repreven “to contradict,” variant of reproven “to rebuke,” apparently taken in literal sense “to prove again, test again,” and Middle English repried (past participle of reprien “to bring back”), from Old French reprit (past participle of reprendre “to take back”; reprise, reprove,

Word History and Origins

Origin of reprieve¹

C16: from Old French repris (something) taken back, from reprendre to take back, from Latin reprehendere ; perhaps also influenced by obsolete English repreve to reprove

Synonym Study

See pardon.

Example Sentences

“It does little to tackle the U.K.’s sticky services inflation, while other measures could even exacerbate the problem and provides only limited reprieve for the BOE,” the economists wrote in a note to clients.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

There has not been a World Cup reprieve quite the same as Ronaldo's, where a three-match ban has remained in place but partially suspended.

Read more on BBC

AI Anxiety: Nvidia’s quarterly results offered a temporary reprieve from investor angst about AI.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The post-Mao reforms brought a measure of relief, but the reprieve was always conditional.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Pakistan has also overhauled its Supreme Court and made it much weaker, forestalling the possibility of a reprieve for Khan through the courts.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• abatement 
• absolution 
• amnesty 
• clemency 
• deferment 
• pardon 
• postponement 
• remission 
• respite 
• suspension 
• truce