commutation

American  

[kom-yuh-tey-shuhn] / ˌkɒm yəˈteɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the act of substituting one thing for another; substitution; exchange.

2. the changing of a prison sentence or other penalty to another less severe.

3. the act of commuting, as to and from a place of work.

4. the substitution of one kind of payment for another.

5. Electricity. the act or process of commutating.

6. Also called commutation test.  Linguistics. the technique, especially in phonological analysis, of substituting one linguistic item for another while keeping the surrounding elements constant, used as a means of determining the constituent units in a sequence and their contrasts with other units.

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commutation British  

/ ˌkɒmjʊˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. a substitution or exchange

2. 1. the replacement of one method of payment by another

   2. the payment substituted

3. the reduction in severity of a penalty imposed by law

4. the process of commutating an electric current

5. the travelling done by a commuter

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Other Word Forms

• procommutation adjective

Etymology

Origin of commutation

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English commutacioun, from Latin commūtātiōn-, stem of commutātiō “change”; equivalent to commute + -ation

Explanation

In law, a commutation is the reduction of a punishment for a crime. After getting a commutation, an incarcerated person's original sentence of ten years in prison might be reduced to five years. A commutation is different from a pardon, which eliminates the actual conviction. With a commutation, that record of conviction stays the same, but the punishment is reduced or even eliminated. A judge might issue a commutation after someone has expressed remorse or exhibited model behavior while being incarcerated. Commutation comes from a Latin root that means "to change."

Example Sentences

Seeing virtually no hope of acquittal, Brown’s attorneys were desperate to preserve the possibility of commutation.

From Slate • Apr. 2, 2026

Wood’s commutation was one of only two clemencies granted to death row inmates in 2025, out of 47 total executions—a record high year in the United States.

From Slate • Mar. 6, 2026

After his commutation, Forté went back to New York and resumed his musical career, often playing acoustic guitar.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 14, 2026

It’s the second time that Santos has brought up Jesus in relation to his sentence commutation.

From Salon • Oct. 19, 2025

"Some weather! Hot! Hot! Hot! Is it hot enough for you? Is it hot? Is it . . . ?" My commutation ticket came back to me with a dark stain from his hand.

From " The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald