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lenient

lenient

32 4.4
Not strict about rules and punishment
  • adjective
  • /ˈliːniənt/
translation icon : indulgente
  • Holmes could potentially face decades in prison, though a much more lenient sentence is expected.
  • more lenient
  • too lenient
  • lenient sentence

And my mom was more on the lenient side.

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Examples

  • They're not as lenient as they used to be down at the station.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • You guys are just too lenient with him.

  • And my mom was more on the lenient side.

  • I would take them on the road with me and I was very lenient in terms of structure.

  • My parents came to realize this and therefore were very lenient with me and allowed me plenty of freedom.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • The laws are a lot more lenient.

  • The courts were lenient with us.

  • However, over my strong objections, the administration is taking a lenient approach.

  • You can afford to be lenient with your enemies.

  • The teacher decided to be lenient with the students who were late due to the traffic.

Synonyms

easy
vslenient
275 1.0

Not strict and allowing people more freedom

focuses on mercy in punishment more than casual lenience
gentle
vslenient
235 1.0

Kind and not strong in action, sound, or touch

applies mercy in punishment rather than simple kindness
soft
vslenient
205 2.0

Not strict and willing to allow mistakes

emphasizes mercy in punishment rather than general compromise
tolerant
vslenient
72 3.2

Accepting of people and ideas that are different

is about mercy when enforcing rules rather than broad acceptance
indulgent
vslenient
36 6.1

Willing to let someone have what they want, even if it is not good for them

prefers mercy without encouraging harmful giving
lax
vslenient
31 4.6

Not strict enough about rules or work

shows tolerant mercy deliberately rather than careless weakness
permissive
vslenient
  • Jargon
14 4.9

Not strict and giving a lot of freedom about what people do

focuses on mercy in punishment rather than general freedom allowance
light-handed
vslenient
1 5.9

Not using strong control and letting others act freely

means merciful punishment rather than merely subtle handling
clement
vslenient
9.1

Ready to forgive people and give lighter punishments

is milder in general rule enforcement rather than formal mercy

Antonyms

359 3.2

Not allowing any exceptions and requiring rules to be followed exactly

289 2.8

Unkind and too strict in what someone says or does to others

68 4.2

Very strict and harsh when judging or punishing people

How Lenient

indulgent
36 6.1
permissive
  • Jargon
14 4.9
lenient
32 4.4
forgiving
64 3.1
tolerant
72 3.2

Surface Forms

lenient positive
lenienter comparative
lenientest superlative

Morphology

lenient = leni + ent

The adjectival suffix '-ent' is recognizable, but the root 'leni' is not a standalone or productive English base, so learners cannot reliably derive the meaning from its parts.

Etymology

Lenient comes from the Latin root lenis, which means 'soft'. That's why a lenient person is 'soft' when they deal with rules or punishment, not strict and more forgiving.