PARDONS Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

pardons 1 of 2

noun

plural of pardon

as in amnesties

release from the guilt or penalty of an offense the criminal is hoping for a presidential pardon

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pardons

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of pardon

as in forgives

to cease to have feelings of anger or bitterness toward he eventually pardoned his sister after she apologized

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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

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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

Noun

Jimmy Kimmel's hunch helps with final question The last question posed the biggest challenge for Ding, but thankfully Kimmel had an inkling about turkeys that hadn’t received presidential pardons. — Erin Jensen, USA Today, 30 July 2026 Trump commuted their prison sentences, but they were not covered by the president’s mass pardons. — Michael Kunzelman, Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026 Trump commuted their prison sentences, but they were not covered by the president's mass pardons. — ABC News, 11 July 2026 Not to mention a conga line of billionaire tech, real-estate, and finance plutocrats paying feasance to a faux populist in exchange for contracts, pardons, and sundry favors. — Graydon Carter, Air Mail, 4 July 2026 Mo Strategies, which has registered an array of corporate clients, is now expanding into the newly lucrative world of pardons. — Gabe Kaminsky, CBS News, 24 June 2026 Roman emperors, sometimes urged on by the crowd, were known to grant pardons (to criminals) and freedom (to the enslaved) after an especially noteworthy performance. — Cullen Murphy, The Atlantic, 13 June 2026 Bankman-Fried’s clemency bid comes amid a wave of pardons that Trump has doled out to not only high-profile crypto figures—among them Binance founder Changpeng Zhao and Silk Road creator Ross Ulbricht—but also other white-collar criminals. — Camila Grigera Naon, Fortune, 9 June 2026 The Potential Benefits of Conditional Pardons How, then, can the president’s ability to issue conditional pardons or commutations serve to mitigate the most notable downsides of this country’s growing pardon debacle? — Robert Radick, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026

Verb

Trump pardons ex-Republican congressman. — Jay Stahl, USA Today, 7 June 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pardons

Noun

The amnesties come after Senior General Min Aung Hlaing was sworn into office as president on April 10 following an election that critics say was neither free nor fair and was orchestrated to maintain the military’s tight grip on power.

— ABC News, ABC News, 30 Apr. 2026
Actions including the amnesties and Suu Kyi’s transfer are widely seen as an effort to burnish his image.

— Grant Peck, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026

Definition of amnesties

Verb

Karl Buchholz, Broomfield Recent coverage of RTD’s budget and ridership crisis completely ignores the elephant in the room, public safety.

— DP Opinion, Denver Post, 2 Aug. 2026
Two things are always in motion, the agent's confidence and the person's trust, and an interface that ignores both will feel wrong long before anyone can say why.

— Ravi Palwe, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Definition of ignores

Verb

The deck overlooks the Mississippi, and it’s known for seafood, steaks, and a full bar.

— Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 29 July 2026
Best Luxury Honeymoon Resort Amanera overlooks Playa Grande on the peaceful north coast of the Dominican Republic, away from the busy resorts near Punta Cana.

— Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026

Definition of overlooks

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“Pardons.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pardons. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of pardons

noun

verb

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