Definitions

lenient

[lee-nee-uhnt, leen-yuhnt] / ˈli ni ənt, ˈlin yənt /

ADJECTIVE

permissive

Synonyms

STRONGEST

benign compassionate compliant forgiving indulgent sympathetic tolerant

WEAK

allowing amiable assuaging assuasive being big benignant charitable clement complaisant condoning easy easygoing emollient excusing favoring forbearing gentle going easy on good-natured humoring kind kindly letting live with loving merciful mild mollycoddling obliging pampering pardoning permitting soft soft-shell softhearted sparing spoiling tender yielding

Antonyms

STRONGEST

hateful merciless

WEAK

hard intolerant limiting restrictive rigorous severe

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.

He said he would challenge it through the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, which allows anyone to request a review of Crown Court sentences if they believe them to be too low.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

Under the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme, anyone can ask for a crown court sentence to be reviewed if they think it is too short.

From BBC • Oct. 17, 2023

Members of the public had called for his sentence to be extended under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.

From BBC • May 15, 2023

The Attorney General's office said it had been asked to review the case under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2023

Lenient as the law was, yet it required some grounds before it could free her.

From The Indulgence of Negu Mah by Arthur, Robert

Vocabulary lists containing lenient

List 3

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