| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | relief of blame, responsibility |
| Synonyms: | abatement, abeyance, absolution, acquittal, alleviation, amnesty, anchor*, clearance, clemency, commute, deferment, freeing, let-up, lifeboat, lifesaver, mitigation, palliation, pardon, postponement, release, remission, respite, spring*, stay, suspension, truce |
| Main Entry: | acquittal |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | declaration removing blame |
| Synonyms: | absolution, acquitting, amnesty, clearance, deliverance, discharge, discharging, dismissal, dismissing, exculpation, exemption, exoneration, freeing, letting off, liberation, pardon, release, releasing, relief from, reprieve, vindication |
| Antonyms: | blame, censure, conviction, denunciation, doom, sentence |
| Main Entry: | amnesty |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | pardon, often by government |
| Synonyms: | absolution, condonation, dispensation, forgiveness, immunity, reprieve |
| Main Entry: | delay |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | deferment, interruption |
| Synonyms: | adjournment, bind, check, cooling-off period, cunctation, dawdling, demurral, detention, discontinuation, downtime, filibuster, hangup, hindrance, hold-up, holding, holding pattern, impediment, interval, jam, lag, lingering, logjam, loitering, moratorium, obstruction, postponement, problem, procrastination, prorogation, putting off, remission, reprieve, retardation, retardment, setback, showstopper, stall, stay, stop, stoppage, surcease, suspension, tarrying, tie-up, wait |
| Notes: | various things may cause a delay, but a postponement will result from the action of a person |
| Antonyms: | advance, dispatch, expedition, furtherance, hastening, hurry, rush, speed |
| Main Entry: | dispensation |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | permission |
| Synonyms: | exception, exemption, immunity, indulgence, license, privilege, relaxation, relief, remission, reprieve |
| Antonyms: | denial, veto |
| Main Entry: | dispense |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | exempt from responsibility |
| Synonyms: | absolve, discharge, except, excuse, exonerate, let off, privilege from, release, relieve, reprieve, spare |
| Main Entry: | excuse |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | forgive, absolve; justify |
| Synonyms: | acquit, alibi, apologize for, appease, bear with, clear, condone, cover, defend, discharge, dispense from, exculpate, exempt, exempt from, exonerate, explain, extenuate, forgive, free, give absolution, grant amnesty, indulge, let go, let off, liberate, make allowances for, mitigate, overlook, pardon, pass over, plead ignorance, pretext, purge, rationalize, release, relieve, remit, reprieve, shrive, shrug off, spare, take rap for, tolerate, vindicate, whitewash, wink at |
| Main Entry: | forgive |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | stop blame and grant pardon |
| Synonyms: | absolve, accept apology, acquit, allow for, amnesty, bear no malice, bear with, bury the hatchet, clear, commute, condone, dismiss from mind, efface, exculpate, excuse, exempt, exonerate, extenuate, forget, kiss and make up, laugh off, let bygones be bygones, let it go, let off easy, let off, let pass, let up on, make allowance, overlook, palliate, pocket, purge, release, relent, remit, reprieve, respite, spring, think no more of, turn other cheek, wink at, wipe slate clean |
| Antonyms: | accuse, blame, censure, charge, punish |
| Main Entry: | forgiveness |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | pardon; end of blame |
| Synonyms: | absolution, acquittal, amnesty, charity, clemency, compassion, condonation, dispensation, exculpation, exoneration, extenuation, grace, immunity, impunity, indemnity, justification, lenience, lenity, mercy, overlooking, palliation, purgation, quarter, quittance, remission, remittal, reprieve, respite, vindication |
| Antonyms: | accusation, blame, censure, charge, punishment, sentence |