leniency
AmericanUsage
What does leniency mean? Leniency is the quality of being lenient—permissive or merciful, as opposed to strict or harsh.When you’re lenient with someone, you go easy on them. The word sometimes implies that maybe you’re going too easy, and should be more strict. On the other hand, if someone thinks a person is being too strict, such as when disciplining a child, they may tell them to be more lenient.A person, an action, or a policy can show or have the quality of leniency. The word is especially used in the context of punishments, especially official ones like prison sentences. In this case, it’s often used to imply that such a punishment is not severe enough in the opinion of the speaker.A less common variant of leniency is lenience.Example: In my opinion, they’ve shown far too much leniency with his punishment—I think he’s getting off too easy.
Etymology
Origin of leniency
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Charter and vowing “no leniency” in defense of its territory.
From Salon
“I think that we have gone a little bit too far in allowing leniency and trying to be compassionate,” he said, “and sometimes maybe forgetting what it was that victims went through.”
From Los Angeles Times
He no doubt is hoping for leniency in sentencing.
There needs to be much more leniency with employers and in workplaces to allow women and men to be able to leave the workplace and go to these appointments that are life-saving.
From BBC
South Korea's courts often grant leniency when the accused accepts guilt or responsibility.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
