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.

"It seems unduly lenient to me and has wider public interest beyond just the case itself in the message that it sends," she said.

From BBC • May 22, 2026

Referees in the English professional game adopt a more lenient approach to handball than other nations, albeit still within the laws.

From BBC • May 20, 2026

City Council moved to adopt relatively lenient “Zone Zero” laws for homes in fire danger zones, measures that do not align with the plans that state agencies are working to enact.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026

Several Commerce Department inspector-general reports have criticized FirstNet Authority for holding AT&T to lenient network standards.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

In retrospect, it is clear that one of the major factors pushing this trend was a more lenient justice system.

From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt

Vocabulary lists containing lenient

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