Reprieve
noun
A stop in punishment for an amount of time.
The judge granted a reprieve to the prisoner, delaying his sentence for one month.
Often appears as...
- grant a reprieve
- temporary reprieve
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
verb
To stop or delay punishment for a time.
The governor decided to reprieve the death sentence of the convict due to new evidence.
Often appears as...
- reprieve a sentence
- reprieve a punishment
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
noun
A break from something difficult or unpleasant.
The weekend was a much needed reprieve from the stressful work week.
Often appears as...
- much needed reprieve
- brief reprieve
verb
To give a break from something difficult or unpleasant.
The government decided to reprieve the citizens by lowering taxes for the year.
Often appears as...
- reprieve from stress
- reprieve from difficulty
noun
A stop in punishment for an amount of time.
The judge granted a reprieve to the prisoner, delaying his sentence for one month.
Often appears as...
- grant a reprieve
- temporary reprieve
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
verb
To stop or delay punishment for a time.
The governor decided to reprieve the death sentence of the convict due to new evidence.
Often appears as...
- reprieve a sentence
- reprieve a punishment
Usage tips
Formal
Academic
noun
A break from something difficult or unpleasant.
The weekend was a much needed reprieve from the stressful work week.
Often appears as...
- much needed reprieve
- brief reprieve
verb
To give a break from something difficult or unpleasant.
The government decided to reprieve the citizens by lowering taxes for the year.
Often appears as...
- reprieve from stress
- reprieve from difficulty
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/3Time Limited
A reprieve in the legal sense is usually temporary, not cancelling the punishment entirely.
The reprieve from the court only postponed the criminal's penalty, not absolved it.
Pro Tip 2/3Authority's Decision
A legal reprieve is granted by someone in authority, like a judge or a governor.
The judge's ability to grant a reprieve saved the man from serving time immediately.
Pro Tip 3/3Common Collocations
'Grant a reprieve' is a frequent pairing, denoting the action of giving someone the reprieve.
Due to the holiday, the warden granted a reprieve to the inmates.
Pro Tip 1/3Time Limited
A reprieve in the legal sense is usually temporary, not cancelling the punishment entirely.
The reprieve from the court only postponed the criminal's penalty, not absolved it.
Pro Tip 2/3Authority's Decision
A legal reprieve is granted by someone in authority, like a judge or a governor.
The judge's ability to grant a reprieve saved the man from serving time immediately.
Pro Tip 3/3Common Collocations
'Grant a reprieve' is a frequent pairing, denoting the action of giving someone the reprieve.
Due to the holiday, the warden granted a reprieve to the inmates.
Pro Tip 1/3Time Limited
A reprieve in the legal sense is usually temporary, not cancelling the punishment entirely.
The reprieve from the court only postponed the criminal's penalty, not absolved it.
Pro Tip 2/3Authority's Decision
A legal reprieve is granted by someone in authority, like a judge or a governor.
The judge's ability to grant a reprieve saved the man from serving time immediately.
Pro Tip 3/3Common Collocations
'Grant a reprieve' is a frequent pairing, denoting the action of giving someone the reprieve.
Due to the holiday, the warden granted a reprieve to the inmates.
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Video examples
A Story of Community and...
that keeps the the women you know from being blamed when an animal is killed or even potentially persecuted so they're more proud and they have more peace in their lives so what does this mean this is a reprieve reliance the roar the Lions has finally come back to this
Video examples
Daniel J. Watts: To...
The world finally stops. And because everything is in flux, I am forced to take a much-needed reprieve as that mysterious illness has been granted an extension.
Video examples
Predators Feast on...
reprieve for now but if next winter is harsh and the vegetation too deep under snow grazers like musk oxen will suffer many may starve weaken and die
Video examples
A Story of Community and...
that keeps the the women you know from being blamed when an animal is killed or even potentially persecuted so they're more proud and they have more peace in their lives so what does this mean this is a reprieve reliance the roar the Lions has finally come back to this
Video examples
Daniel J. Watts: To...
The world finally stops. And because everything is in flux, I am forced to take a much-needed reprieve as that mysterious illness has been granted an extension.
Video examples
Predators Feast on...
reprieve for now but if next winter is harsh and the vegetation too deep under snow grazers like musk oxen will suffer many may starve weaken and die
Example 1 of 3
Quote examples
Marilynne Robinson
American Novelist
Teaching is a distraction and a burden, but it's also an incredible stimulus. And a reprieve, in a way. When you're trying to work on something and it's not going anywhere, you can go to school and there's a two-and-a-half-hour block of time in which you can accomplish something.
Quote examples
Ash Sarkar
British Journalist
The key to stopping the hard-right nationalist forces poised to pounce on Brexit isn't going to be finessing a reprieve for the status quo. It's about actively creating consent for meaningful change, and expanding democratic participation beyond a second referendum.
Quote examples
Katie Pavlich
American Journalist
In many corners the concept of DACA is a fair and compassionate one, giving reprieve to children brought into the country illegally by their parents. But the way the program is lawfully mandated and implemented matters.
Quote examples
William Griffith Wilson
American Celebrity
We are not cured of alcoholism. What we have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition. Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God's will into all of our daily activities.
Quote examples
Peter Wright
British Celebrity
I had been living with dialysis for three years or so, and the new kidney felt like a reprieve, a new gift of life. I felt alive again and I guess that has had an effect on my use of colour.
Quote examples
Ryszard Kapuscinski
Polish Journalist
Do not be misled by the fact that you are at liberty and relatively free; that for the moment you are not under lock and key: you have simply been granted a reprieve.
Quote examples
Theodor W. Adorno
German Philosopher
In his state of complete powerlessness the individual perceives the time he has left to live as a brief reprieve.
Quote examples
Clint Smith
American Writer
Sometimes sports serves as a reprieve from politics, and sometimes it serves as an extension of it.
Quote examples
Julian Barratt
English Comedian
Pain - that is what life is about, isn't it? Suffering with moments of reprieve.
Quote examples
Mason Cooley
American Writer
Consciousness is our only reprieve from Time.
Quote examples
Marilynne Robinson
American Novelist
Teaching is a distraction and a burden, but it's also an incredible stimulus. And a reprieve, in a way. When you're trying to work on something and it's not going anywhere, you can go to school and there's a two-and-a-half-hour block of time in which you can accomplish something.
Quote examples
Ash Sarkar
British Journalist
The key to stopping the hard-right nationalist forces poised to pounce on Brexit isn't going to be finessing a reprieve for the status quo. It's about actively creating consent for meaningful change, and expanding democratic participation beyond a second referendum.
Quote examples
Katie Pavlich
American Journalist
In many corners the concept of DACA is a fair and compassionate one, giving reprieve to children brought into the country illegally by their parents. But the way the program is lawfully mandated and implemented matters.
Quote examples
William Griffith Wilson
American Celebrity
We are not cured of alcoholism. What we have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition. Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God's will into all of our daily activities.
Quote examples
Peter Wright
British Celebrity
I had been living with dialysis for three years or so, and the new kidney felt like a reprieve, a new gift of life. I felt alive again and I guess that has had an effect on my use of colour.
Quote examples
Ryszard Kapuscinski
Polish Journalist
Do not be misled by the fact that you are at liberty and relatively free; that for the moment you are not under lock and key: you have simply been granted a reprieve.
Quote examples
Theodor W. Adorno
German Philosopher
In his state of complete powerlessness the individual perceives the time he has left to live as a brief reprieve.
Quote examples
Clint Smith
American Writer
Sometimes sports serves as a reprieve from politics, and sometimes it serves as an extension of it.
Quote examples
Julian Barratt
English Comedian
Pain - that is what life is about, isn't it? Suffering with moments of reprieve.
Quote examples
Mason Cooley
American Writer
Consciousness is our only reprieve from Time.
Example 1 of 10
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