clemency
Americannoun
plural
clemencies-
the quality of being clement; disposition to show forbearance, compassion, or forgiveness in judging or punishing; leniency; mercy.
- Synonyms:
- mercifulness, gentleness, forgivingness
- Antonyms:
- harshness
-
an act or deed showing mercy or leniency.
-
(of the weather) mildness or temperateness.
- Antonyms:
- severity
noun
-
mercy or leniency
-
mildness, esp of the weather
Usage
what does clemency mean? Clemency is mercy or the quality of being lenient. Clemency is most commonly used in a legal context for situations in which a prisoner is officially pardoned or has their sentence shortened. Example: The governor has granted her clemency, meaning she will be released early.
Other Word Forms
- overclemency noun
Etymology
Origin of clemency
1375–1425; late Middle English (< Anglo-French ) < Latin clēmentia. See clement, -cy
Explanation
Say you're playing a role-playing game and you end up in one of the other player's dungeons. You could try begging her for clemency — compassion shown by people in power towards people who rebel or break the law. Clemency is also a weather word, though nowadays it's much more common to hear people talk about "inclement weather" than, say, "the clemency of the storm." Derived from the Latin for "gentle", it came into usage in the 1550s. If you have trouble remembering its meaning, get rid of the "cle" and replace the "n" with an "r". You're left with "mercy", which more or less means the same thing.
Vocabulary lists containing clemency
Frankenstein
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
100 SAT words Beginning with "C"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The artist is known primarily for his work on portraits, with carefully chosen subjects: he painted Obama granting him clemency, which turned out to be prophetic.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 7, 2026
Within days of the interview, which was perceived in part as a ploy for clemency by Maxwell, she was moved to a minimum-security camp in Texas.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026
Milton said that relationship played no role in his trial or clemency.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026
In response, Battle’s daughter not only forgave Burton, but has become an active advocate for his clemency.
From Slate • Mar. 6, 2026
There was no recommendation for clemency in the case and none is here recommended.
From "Slaughterhouse-Five" by Kurt Vonnegut
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
