English Dictionary
Definition of “lenient”
lenient (ˈliːnɪənt
)
Definitions
adjective
- showing or characterized by mercy or tolerance
- archaic caressing or soothing
Alternative Forms
ˈleniency ˈlenience noun ˈleniently adverb Word Origin
C17: from Latin lēnīre to soothe, from lēnis soft
Synonyms
View thesaurus entry
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merciful,
sparing,
gentle,
forgiving,
kind,
tender,
mild,
tolerant,
compassionate,
clement,
indulgent,
forbearing,
Usage examples
We'll plead self-defence, so maybe the beak will be lenient.
Jon Cleary, YESTERDAY'S SHADOW (2002)Clearly, while protecting investor interest is a must sebi can't be seen to be lenient on rogue raiders.
India Today (2000)Ann Clark, general manager of TEC, wonders now whether that arrangement was too lenient.
New Zealand Herald (2003)Key changes could also include more lenient treatment of cases involving women who kill their violent husbands in self defence.
Liverpool Daily Post and Echo (2004)The new system takes a bigger sample and brings up results that are less ` lenient " to ITV companies.
Frost, David, David Frost-An Autobiography-Part One (1993)
