lenient

[ lee-nee-uh nt, leen-yuh nt ]

/ ˈli ni ənt, ˈlin yənt /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR lenient ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

agreeably tolerant; permissive; indulgent: He tended to be lenient toward the children. More lenient laws encouraged greater freedom of expression.

Archaic. softening, soothing, or alleviative.

Origin of lenient

1645–55; < Latin lēnient- (stem of lēniēns), present participle of lēnīre to soften, alleviate, soothe. See lenis, -ent

OTHER WORDS FROM lenient

le·ni·ent·ly, adverb su·per·le·ni·ent, adjective su·per·le·ni·ent·ly, adverb un·le·ni·ent, adjective

un·le·ni·ent·ly, adverb

Words nearby lenient

lengthways, lengthwise, lengthy, lengua, leniency, lenient, lenin, lenin peak, leninabad, leninakan, leningrad

Example sentences from the Web for lenient

The Jewish Week reported that sources said Hynes was expected to dispose of the case with a lenient plea deal.

The Orthodox Sex Abuse Crackdown That Wasn’t |Emily Shire |October 7, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Caminero just sounds like a jerk, and his charge of criminal mischief almost too lenient.

When Artists Attack—Themselves |Jessica Dawson |February 20, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The New York Times and The Guardian asked President Obama to be lenient on the leaker in two editorials Thursday.

Michael Hayden, Ex-NSA Director, Says Clemency for Edward Snowden Is ‘Outrageous’ Idea |Eli Lake |January 2, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
In other words, Berlusconi's trivialization of the Shoah and his lenient views regarding Mussolini are not uncommon.

Why Do Italian Jews Tolerate Berlusconi's Trivialization of the Holocaust? |Anna Momigliano |November 6, 2013 |DAILY BEAST

The dispute-resolution process is also too protracted, and the sanctions against offending parties too lenient.

The Big Idea: How Commerce Spreads Contagion |Mark Harrison |January 18, 2013 |DAILY BEAST
Lenine is afraid that the proletariat is too soft-hearted and lenient.

Bolshevism |John Spargo
For the first time the lenient doctor did not want to relieve pain.

A Man of Two Countries |Alice Harriman
These audiences were usually large, and far too lenient in the estimation of Tus-ka-sah.

The Frontiersmen |Charles Egbert Craddock
It is surprising how lenient we can be to the defects or failings of those who minister to our vanity!

Grif |B. L. (Benjamin Leopold) Farjeon
Elisabeth cheerfully caught at this straw of comfort; she was always ready to take a lenient view of her own shortcomings.

The Farringdons |Ellen Thorneycroft Fowler

British Dictionary definitions for lenient

lenient

/ (ˈliːnɪənt) /

adjective

showing or characterized by mercy or tolerance

archaic caressing or soothing

Derived forms of lenient

leniency or lenience, noun leniently, adverb

Word Origin for lenient

C17: from Latin lēnīre to soothe, from lēnis soft

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

lenient

adjective

Origin of lenient

OTHER WORDS FROM lenient

Words nearby lenient

Example sentences from the Web for lenient

British Dictionary definitions for lenient

adjective

Derived forms of lenient

Word Origin for lenient

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

lenient

adjective

Origin of lenient

OTHER WORDS FROM lenient

Words nearby lenient

Words related to lenient

Example sentences from the Web for lenient

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adjective

Derived forms of lenient

Word Origin for lenient

British Dictionary definitions for lenient