Antonyms for lenient
ˈli ni ənt, ˈlin yəntle·nient

WiktionaryRate these synonyms:3.3 / 3 votes

1. lenientadjective

   Antonyms:
   severe, strict

   Synonyms:
   permissive, lax

2. lenientadjective

   lax; tolerant of deviation; permissive; not strict

   The standard is fairly lenient, so use your discretion.

   Synonyms:
   permissive, lax

   Antonyms:
   severe, strict

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. lenient

   Antonyms:
   absolute, arbitrary, arrogant, authoritative, autocratic, coercive, commanding, compulsive, compulsory, controlling, despotic, dictatorial, dogmatic, domineering, exacting, haughty, imperative, imperious, irresponsible, lordly, overbearing, peremptory, positive, supreme, tyrannical, unconditional, unequivocal

   Synonyms:
   accountable, complaisant, compliant, conditional, constitutional, contingent, docile, ductile, gentle, humble, limited, lowly, meek, mild, responsible, submissive, yielding

Princeton's WordNetRate these antonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. indulgent, lenient, softadjective

   tolerant or lenient

   "indulgent parents risk spoiling their children"; "too soft on the children"; "they are soft on crime"

   Antonyms:
   inclement, demanding, unpermissive

   Synonyms:
   cushy, indulgent, mild, easy, piano, balmy, voiced, soft, delicate, flabby, subdued, diffuse, flaccid, gentle, sonant, easygoing, diffused

2. lenientadjective

   not strict

   "an easy teacher"; "easy standards"; "lenient rules"; "an easy penalty"

   Antonyms:
   demanding, unpermissive, inclement

   Synonyms:
   indulgent, soft

3. lenientadjective

   characterized by tolerance and mercy

   Antonyms:
   unpermissive, demanding, inclement

   Synonyms:
   indulgent, soft

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. lenientadjective

   Synonyms:
   compassionate, merciful

Editors ContributionRate these antonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. draconian

   excessively harsh

   ''he spanked his kid for a ''white lie", which i think is a bit draconian.

   Submitted by anonymous on December 7, 2020  

How to use lenient in a sentence?

1. Eva Millona:

   It really caused huge anxiety, families were torn apart, children were left in the custody of the state, there’s a bitter taste still in Massachusetts. Some advocates for more lenient immigration policies lauded Michelle DuBois.

2. Catherine Salmon:

   Parents are more lenient, so youngest kids tend to be less rules-oriented, and yet they still get lots of attention.

3. Paul Manafort:

   There were moments that I will talk about this in the book when they were putting pressure on me to admit the facts that weren't true, and I'll talk about those facts and those expectations. The quid pro quo that was understood was that I would be treated in a very lenient way, they didn't understand that there was no way I was going to lie and there was no way that they could force me into giving up the president. I never felt uncomfortable talking to them because I knew that as long as I told the truth, I had nothing to fear, but I was wrong.

4. Abu Khdeir:

   I told the judge that you need to give the maximum punishment for these murderers and not to be lenient with them, my wife and I are having nightmares in the middle of the night when we think about what has happened to our son.

5. Josh Hawley:

   The horror of child pornography is exponentially worse than it was a decade ago, and judges handing out lenient sentences for these criminals is a big reason why, while the White House continues to dismiss concerns about leniency toward child porn offenders as a ‘desperate conspiracy theory,’ the numbers speak for themselves. Congress must act before this problem becomes even worse.

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