as in amnesties
release from the guilt or penalty of an offense
the criminal is hoping for a presidential pardon
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in forgives
to cease to have feelings of anger or bitterness toward
he eventually pardoned his sister after she apologized
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in ignores
to dismiss as of little importance
I'm willing to pardon a little sloppiness of dress in such a kind and loving person
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of pardons
Bobby Allyn, NPR, 23 Apr. 2026
Last month Blanche touted those very pardons at the Conservative Political Action Conference last month.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Stories about pardons are often told as stories about presidential power — who got mercy, who had access, who persuaded a president to intervene.
—Jeremy Kohler, ProPublica, 20 Apr. 2026
His late father, Lee Kun-hee, was convicted of bribery twice, but never went to jail, also thanks to presidential pardons.
—Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 16 Apr. 2026
The request by the Justice Department would go a step further and erase all the convictions for extremist group leaders, including Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, who didn’t receive pardons last January.
—Michael Kunzelman, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
In court filings, Cole has suggested that the conduct alleged of him is covered by the sweeping pardons Trump bestowed on more than 1,500 individuals charged in connection with the riot on his first day back in the White House.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 15 Apr. 2026
The Justice Department pushed back on the claims, arguing that Cole's actions were not covered by the pardons.
—Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
Included in the pardons were more than 600 rioters convicted of assaulting, resisting or interfering with law enforcement that day.
—Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026
Richard Edwards, Space.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Being the president and all, Richard pardons himself and Jenny.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Feb. 2026
Trump pardons 5 former NFL stars for wide-ranging crimes.
—FOXNews.com, 13 Feb. 2026
These changes would ensure a more merciful society, one that pardons in the name not of a sovereign president, but of the people.
—Bernadette Meyler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
May 29 — In one of many conciliatory moves toward the hip-hop community, Trump pardons Young Boy NBA on a guns conviction.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 31 Dec. 2025
Tennessee governor pardons country star Jelly Roll After years of struggle and transformation, country musician Jelly Roll was pardoned by Tennessee’s governor for his criminal past in the state.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 19 Dec. 2025
Trump pardons Binance founder Changpeng Zhao.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025
Trump pardons couple in 2025 Julie, 52, was sentenced to seven years at the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, though that sentence was eventually reduced.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 28 Aug. 2025
Noun
Going back further, prediction market analysts have identified a trader who appears to have profited handsomely from having advance knowledge of the pardons former President Biden granted in his final hours in office.
—Bobby Allyn, NPR, 23 Apr. 2026
Last month Blanche touted those very pardons at the Conservative Political Action Conference last month.
—Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 23 Apr. 2026
Stories about pardons are often told as stories about presidential power — who got mercy, who had access, who persuaded a president to intervene.
—Jeremy Kohler, ProPublica, 20 Apr. 2026
His late father, Lee Kun-hee, was convicted of bribery twice, but never went to jail, also thanks to presidential pardons.
—Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 16 Apr. 2026
The request by the Justice Department would go a step further and erase all the convictions for extremist group leaders, including Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, who didn’t receive pardons last January.
—Michael Kunzelman, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
In court filings, Cole has suggested that the conduct alleged of him is covered by the sweeping pardons Trump bestowed on more than 1,500 individuals charged in connection with the riot on his first day back in the White House.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 15 Apr. 2026
The Justice Department pushed back on the claims, arguing that Cole's actions were not covered by the pardons.
—Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
Included in the pardons were more than 600 rioters convicted of assaulting, resisting or interfering with law enforcement that day.
—Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026
Verb
President Kennedy pardons his predecessor, Nixon, for his involvement in the Watergate scandal.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Being the president and all, Richard pardons himself and Jenny.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Feb. 2026
Trump pardons 5 former NFL stars for wide-ranging crimes.
—FOXNews.com, 13 Feb. 2026
These changes would ensure a more merciful society, one that pardons in the name not of a sovereign president, but of the people.
—Bernadette Meyler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
May 29 — In one of many conciliatory moves toward the hip-hop community, Trump pardons Young Boy NBA on a guns conviction.
—Chris Willman, Variety, 31 Dec. 2025
Tennessee governor pardons country star Jelly Roll After years of struggle and transformation, country musician Jelly Roll was pardoned by Tennessee’s governor for his criminal past in the state.
—Alexandra Banner, CNN Money, 19 Dec. 2025
Trump pardons Binance founder Changpeng Zhao.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 24 Oct. 2025
Trump pardons couple in 2025 Julie, 52, was sentenced to seven years at the Federal Medical Center in Lexington, though that sentence was eventually reduced.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pardons
Noun
-
Mass amnesties to mark holidays are not unusual in Myanmar.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Even in its ideal form, the bureaucratic pardon would not possess the political legitimacy to undertake large-scale reform or grant broader amnesties.—
Bernadette Meyler,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
While The Pitt forgives and empathizes with Robby’s flaws, Robby is not called on to extend that empathy to others.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
-
There is no blanket federal program that automatically forgives credit card debt simply because someone is a veteran.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The notion that Related is a rapacious developer being handed a giveaway ignores the history.—
Peter Peyser,
New York Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The authors take aim at TRIPS and TRIPS-Plus agreements by stressing the dangers of a colonialism of information that ignores individual countries’ political and economic circumstances.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Its Southern-style porch overlooks the ocean as well as the property’s butterfly garden, giving the space an extra boost of romance.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Apr. 2026
-
The neighborhood/area Le Negresco overlooks the Promenade des Anglais, a four-mile stretch from the airport to Old Town along the water, lined with hotels and restaurants and the Casino de Nice.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pardons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pardons. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
