pardon 1 of 2

noun

ˈpär-dᵊn How to pronounce pardon (audio)
Definition of pardonnext
as in forgiveness
release from the guilt or penalty of an offense the criminal is hoping for a presidential pardon

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pardon

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to forgive
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 to ignore
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

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb pardon differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of pardon are condone, excuse, and forgive. While all these words mean "to exact neither punishment nor redress," pardon implies that one remits a penalty due for an admitted or established offense.

pardon a criminal

When is condone a more appropriate choice than pardon?

In some situations, the words condone and pardon are roughly equivalent. However, condone implies that one overlooks without censure behavior (such as dishonesty or violence) that involves a serious breach of a moral, ethical, or legal code, and the term may refer to the behavior or to the agent responsible for it.

a society that condones alcohol but not narcotics

When might excuse be a better fit than pardon?

The words excuse and pardon are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, excuse may refer to specific acts especially in social or conventional situations or the person responsible for these. Often the term implies extenuating circumstances.

excuse an interruption
excused them for interrupting
injustice excuses strong responses

When can forgive be used instead of pardon?

The synonyms forgive and pardon are sometimes interchangeable, but forgive implies that one gives up all claim to requital and to resentment or vengeful feelings.

could not forgive their rudeness

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 pardon
Noun
Here's what to know about the pardon and what comes next for the Chrisleys. —Diana Leyva, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025 The couple reported to prison on Jan. 17, 2023, and roughly 28 months later, President Trump granted them a full pardon. —Kayla Grant, People.com, 8 July 2025
Verb
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy speaks before signing an executive order for a new clemency program that will pardon thousands of people as Newark and the nation celebrates Juneteenth on June 19, 2024 in Newark, New Jersey. —Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025 On the Tuesday, July 1, episode of Unlocked with Savannah Chrisley, the 56-year-old husband and his 52-year-old wife appeared as special guests on Savannah’s podcast following the couple being recently pardoned by President Donald Trump. —Angel Saunders, People.com, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for pardon
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pardon
  1. forgiveness
  2. forgive
  3. ignore
  4. amnesty
  5. overlook
  6. excuse
Noun
  • But, there was a lot of forgiveness that did happen.
    — Giana Levy, Variety, 17 July 2025
  • This would also effectively block Parent PLUS borrowers from most federal student loan forgiveness programs, including PSLF.
    — Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
Definition of forgiveness
Verb
  • May Allah Almighty forgive your shortcomings and grant you the highest ranks of Jannah.
    — Adeola Adeosun, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 July 2025
  • But those scenes tend to be very funny, and funny forgives a lot.
    — Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 11 July 2025
Definition of forgive
Verb
  • Donald Trump promised to go after the worst of the worst, but his administration's heavy-handed tactics in many cases ignore people's constitutional rights and the rule of law.
    — Billal Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 July 2025
  • Having said that, beachgoers have already been ignoring signs and fencing to get to the beach, especially on weekends.
    — Caitlin Looby, jsonline.com, 23 July 2025
Definition of ignore
Noun
  • White House scrambles to smother amnesty talk Trump continues to receive his highest approval marks among conservatives for his controversial handling of undocumented immigrants.
    — Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 12 July 2025
  • Rollins is viewed in MAGA circles as someone to watch out for on amnesty and immigration leniency.
    — W. James Antle III, The Washington Examiner, 12 July 2025
Definition of amnesty
Verb
  • But my frustration at her absence is also annoyance that FX’s raw and timely adaptation of Patrick Radden Keefe’s nonfiction book on the Troubles was overlooked in favor of stuff like Monsters: The Lyle and Eric Menendez Story and The Penguin.
    — Judy Berman, Time, 15 July 2025
  • Continuous Measurement Of Value: Real-time value tracking is essential but often overlooked.
    — Pawan Vadapalli, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
Definition of overlook
Verb
  • But the survey of 1,000 American adults, taken on June 10, also found that some excused or endorsed the violence against Jews.
    — Grace Gilson, Sun Sentinel, 11 July 2025
  • When a flight attendant noticed, Dali faked vomiting to excuse her lengthy time in the bathroom.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 July 2025
Definition of excuse

Browse Nearby Words

parchments
pardon
pardonable
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Cite this Entry

“Pardon.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pardon. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pardon

Nglish: Translation of pardon for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pardon

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