as in sympathetic
allowing a lot of freedom and not punishing bad behavior in a strong way
a teacher who is lenient with students who have misbehaved The public was outraged by the lenient sentence the corrupt banker received.
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Recent Examples of lenient
Several popular live sellers, who spoke to The Athletic under the condition of anonymity to protect their relationship with Whatnot, believe the company has been too lenient when regulating sellers for rules violations on the platform.
—
Benjamin Burrows,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
Better to have no recall powers than overly lenient ones.
—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
Republicans argued his approach was too lenient, while Allred emphasized a combination of enforcement and immigration reform.
—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
26 May 2026
But the timing windows on parries remain very lenient, and health pickups are plentiful.
—
Gabriel Zamora,
PC Magazine,
26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for lenient
Benjamin Burrows,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
Better to have no recall powers than overly lenient ones.
—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2026
Republicans argued his approach was too lenient, while Allred emphasized a combination of enforcement and immigration reform.
—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
26 May 2026
But the timing windows on parries remain very lenient, and health pickups are plentiful.
—
Gabriel Zamora,
PC Magazine,
26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for lenient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lenient
Adjective
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The most remarkable performance in the film, however, may be that of real-life counselor Annette Deao, whose firm hand and sympathetic guidance lend Union County its stoic nature.
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Ever since Hayden Herrera published her landmark biography of Frida in 1983, Kahlo has been perceived as a sympathetic figure.
Adjective
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At their best, Cancers are compassionate, loyal, intuitive and deeply devoted.
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And the Supreme Court's ruling says that this means those people'spunishments are not extraordinary or compelling, as the compassionate release program mandates.
Adjective
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Prior to the game, both players said Sutter Health Park had lived up to its reputation as a hitter-friendly ballpark.
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Alarmed by an avalanche of high-density development projects prompted by a developer-friendly state law, Miami commissioners have ordered the city attorney to look into challenging the controversial legislation.
Adjective
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Just when a dreadful day was approaching a merciful end, the chants from the remaining crowd at Citi Field poked fun at the New York Mets’ mess in a way boos cannot match with ridicule.
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That painful night in Dallas now feels merciful, compared with what this Avs team just experienced.
Adjective
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In just over half those states, the more forgiving deadlines apply only to ballots cast by military and overseas voters.
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The World Cup’s new, forgiving format allows the top eight of the 12 third-place teams, like third-place South Korea (1-0-2), to move on to knockout play with as few as three points.
Adjective
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Despite the minimalism and lack of physical controls, the EX30 interior isn’t a bad place to be—Volvo’s interior designers tend to understand the assignment well, and the textures and materials are pleasant to the touch.
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This was a pleasant surprise given the significant worldwide controversy surrounding Huawei’s dominance in constructing 4G infrastructure.
Adjective
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Be patient with kids and romantic partners, because squabbles might arise.
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Reducing friction often comes down to simple improvements such as online scheduling, prompt follow-up and easy access to key patient information.
Adjective
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Cancer June 21 – July 22 A gentle calm steadies your choices now.
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Ceconi recommends looking for detergents that are gentle and pH neutral to enhance the preservation of fiber softness.
Cite this Entry
“Lenient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lenient. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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