pardoning 1 of 2

pardoning

2 of 2

verb

present participle of pardon

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 pardoning
Verb
President Bill Clinton came under fire for pardoning former hedge-fund manager Marc Rich, and President Joe Biden was roundly criticized for pardoning his son, Hunter, as well as preemptively pardoning other family members. Ryan Lucas, NPR, 13 May 2026 The Democrats have signaled that they are united in opposition to any talk of pardoning Maxwell. Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 25 Apr. 2026 His legal restoration began in 2020 with Trump pardoning him for lying to the FBI. Michael Loria, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026 Trump has repeatedly and publicly called for her release since his return to office last year, and he’s castigated Polis for not pardoning her or transferring her into federal custody. Seth Klamann, Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2026 In response to a request for comment about the recent social media campaign, a White House spokesperson reiterated to Fortune that Trump has no intention of pardoning Bankman-Fried. Leo Schwartz, Fortune, 24 Feb. 2026 Trump started his second presidency by pardoning the insurrectionists who’d wanted to unlawfully extend his first. Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 23 Feb. 2026 Nearly a century later, in 1977, Jimmy Carter helped mend the divisions plaguing the United States in the aftermath of the Vietnam War by pardoning those who had dodged the draft. Bernadette Meyler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026 South Korea has a history of pardoning former presidents who were jailed over diverse crimes in the name of promoting national unity. Hyung-Jin Kim, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pardoning
Adjective
  • Some prosecutors have created units designed to take another look at past convictions where exculpatory evidence is now available, like in Powell’s case.
    Taylor Croft, AJC.com, 21 June 2026
  • Mullins rejected that argument on the grounds that exculpatory information must always be shared.
    Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 13 May 2026
Verb
  • This is why much of the safety discussion still feels too forgiving to me.
    Tetiana Aleksandrova, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Shoppers note that the shorts are roomy and don’t bunch up, and that the elastic waistband is forgiving even while bloated.
    Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • Make Participation Effortless Reduce friction to the point where using it feels like less effort than ignoring it.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • For example, today, Americans might believe that the demands of racial equity or of evangelical Christianity are so pressing that executive power would be justified in ignoring the legislature or the judiciary to serve them.
    Robert A. Ballingall, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • Surveillance cameras captured a person dressed in dark clothing on a nearby roof overlooking the courtyard less than ten minutes before the killing, prosecutors said in charging documents.
    Nicki Brown, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • That’s adjacent to what is technically a closetless third bedroom, overlooking the leafy treescape, although the listing is staged with it as a separate living room.
    Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 6 July 2026
Verb
  • Carpino retired in April, without ever explaining what was not right in the organization or, based on the standings, repairing it.
    Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
  • The traditional experience requires waiting on hold, explaining the situation and hoping an agent can help.
    Shep Hyken, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Verb
  • The article emphasizes that effective communication of difficult decisions requires not only clear explanation but also genuine empathy for how people feel, rather than merely justifying actions.
    Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • And yet at the start of the Mass, a priest read aloud a statement justifying the consecrations as a necessary defense of the faith and criticizing how the Catholic Church today had deviated from tradition.
    ABC News, ABC News, 1 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Pardoning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pardoning. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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