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Lenient: meaning, definitions and examples

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lenient

 

[ ˈliːniənt ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

in discipline

Showing tolerance or gentleness; not strict or harsh.

Synonyms

forgiving, indulgent, merciful, permissive

Examples of usage

  • She was lenient with her students' mistakes.
  • The judge was lenient in his sentencing for first-time offenders.
Context #2 | Adjective

in rules

Allowing a lot of freedom and not punishing small mistakes.

Synonyms

accommodating, easygoing, flexible, tolerant

Examples of usage

  • The company has a lenient dress code policy.
  • The school has a lenient attendance policy.

Translations

Translations of the word "lenient" in other languages:

🇵🇹 indulgente

🇮🇳 उदार

🇩🇪 nachsichtig

🇮🇩 lunak

🇺🇦 поблажливий

🇵🇱 pobłażliwy

🇯🇵 寛大な

🇫🇷 indulgent

🇪🇸 indulgente

🇹🇷 hoşgörülü

🇰🇷 관대한

🇸🇦 متسامح

🇨🇿 shovívavý

🇸🇰 zhovievavý

🇨🇳 宽容的

🇸🇮 popustljiv

🇮🇸 mildur

🇰🇿 кешірімшіл

🇬🇪 მწყალობელი

🇦🇿 mərhəmətli

🇲🇽 indulgente

Etymology

The word 'lenient' originated from the Latin word 'lenient-' (present participle of lenire), which means 'to soften' or 'to alleviate'. The term has been used in English since the 17th century to describe someone or something that shows mercy or tolerance.

See also: leniency, leniently.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #17,929, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.