the act of excusing a mistake or offense
Used in a Sentence
pardon
How to use pardon in a sentence. Example sentences and definitions for pardon.
Editorial note
They should pardon all the people convicted under that law.
Examples9
Definitions5
Parts of speech2
Quick take
the act of excusing a mistake or offense
Meaning at a glance
The clearest senses and uses of pardon gathered in one view.
a warrant granting release from punishment for an offense
the formal act of liberating someone
Definitions
Core meanings and parts of speech for pardon.
noun
the act of excusing a mistake or offense
See also: forgiveness
noun
a warrant granting release from punishment for an offense
See also: amnesty
noun
the formal act of liberating someone
See also: amnesty
verb
accept an excuse for; "Please excuse my dirty hands"
See also: excuse
verb
grant a pardon to; "Ford pardoned Nixon"; "The Thanksgiving turkey was pardoned by the President"
Example sentences
They should pardon all the people convicted under that law.
It would be nice to get them to actually pardon him, but that is a much harder goal.
I'm unreserved in my support for Snowden getting a blanket pardon.
Sure, the government isn't allowed to do mass warrantless surveillance, but they can order companies to do it illegally and then pardon them.
I will miss Aaron more than I can say -- he was a great guy, an excellent developer, and one hell of an activist -- but a pardon does not do anything valuable.
Nixon received a "full, free, and absolute pardon" from Gerald Ford [0], despite not actually having even stood trial, let alone having been convicted.
[1] Only Turing has been "pardoned".My understanding [2] is that the "pardon" implies there was nothing wrong with the law as such, just that Turing is forgiven for having broken it.
So please pardon my "rantiness" when I say that it is the responsibility of intellectuals to facilitate growth in their communities.
I look forward to a couple decades from now, when I can tell my kids about how us folks who were paying attention were all vindicated when the NSA reforms were enacted and Snowden was given a full pardon.
Frequently asked questions
Short answers drawn from the clearest meanings and examples for this word.
How do you use pardon in a sentence?
They should pardon all the people convicted under that law.
What does pardon mean?
the act of excusing a mistake or offense
What part of speech is pardon?
pardon is commonly used as noun, verb.