Lenient

usgb/ˈliːniənt/
adjective

Being kind, gentle, or showing mercy and not being strict or punishing harshly.

The teacher was more lenient with the new students.
Visual representation of "lenient" - Being kind, gentle, or showing mercy and not being strict or punishing harshly

Often appears as...

  • lenient sentence
  • lenient punishment
Definition 1 of 2
Visual representation of "lenient"
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Severity Spectrum

Lenient is opposite to strict; use it when describing a softer approach.

Illustration for Severity Spectrum
The lenient guidelines allowed for more creative freedom.
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Empathy Cue

Suggests that the person in power understands the situation and shows kindness.

Illustration for Empathy Cue
Being late for the first time, he hoped for a lenient response.
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Unexpected Outcome

It often implies a more favorable outcome than one might expect from a rule or law.

Illustration for Unexpected Outcome
To everyone’s surprise, the school's lenient policy on uniforms was well-received.
Visual representation of the word "Lenient"

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