Pardon
v.kind, calmwarm
Meaning 1
To forgive an offense and stop holding it against the person responsible.
Reach for it when describing personal forgiveness without pretending that no harm occurred
After the repair and apology, Lena chose to pardon the careless mistake.
Choose between these
4- everyday
excuse
when a minor fault is overlooked
not when Excuse can minimize conduct that requires accountability and repair.
- everyday
overlook
when a small lapse is intentionally not pursued
not when Overlooking can suggest the problem was ignored rather than forgiven.
- warm
when a person lets go of resentment after harm
not when Forgiveness does not erase legal liability or restore trust automatically.
- formal
when someone is freed from blame or moral responsibility
not when It is stronger than pardon if responsibility for the act remains.
Meaning 2
To release someone officially from a legal penalty.
Reach for it when describing a formal act of clemency by an authorized official
The governor agreed to pardon the applicant after the conviction was reviewed.
Choose between these
4- warm
show mercy to
when compassion tempers a deserved consequence
not when Mercy is a broader concept; it does not identify a formal legal power.
- professional
when a class of people receives official protection from prosecution
not when Amnesty is usually collective and cannot replace pardon for one ordinary offense.
- formal
grant clemency to
when an authority reduces or removes punishment
not when Clemency includes commutation and reprieve, not only a full pardon.
- literary
when punishment is postponed or someone gains temporary relief
not when A reprieve delays a consequence rather than forgiving the offense.
Said against
4- condemn
- blame
- punish
- prosecute
It naturally appears in
4- pardon an offense
She could pardon an offense while still asking for the damage to be repaired.
- receive a pardon
The archivist found evidence that helped the prisoner receive a pardon.
- officially pardon
Only the designated authority could officially pardon the convicted man.
- seek a pardon
The new evidence allowed the family to seek a pardon through the formal process.
Where this comes from
- wiktionary, English verb sense 1: to forgive an offense opens in a new tab for meaning 1 · retrieved 2026-07-26
- wiktionary, English verb sense 2: to grant an official pardon from punishment opens in a new tab for meaning 2 · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.