1
as in pause
a temporary halt in an activity or condition
The pool offered a welcome reprieve from the heat.
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2
as in parole
law
a temporary release from the obligation to serve punishment for a crime
The judge ordered a reprieve of the execution so the accused would have time to appeal the decision.
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1
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of reprieve
Randall Colburn, EW.com, 24 July 2025
Businesses and households rush to import goods during tariff reprieves and then lessen their purchasing when the levies are set back in place.
—Ivan Illan, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
The rest of the federal government was running on a two-hour delay, but Vought had offered his team no such reprieve.
—Andy Kroll, ProPublica, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reprieve
Noun
There have been more than enough chances and reprieve given.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 24 July 2025
Businesses and households rush to import goods during tariff reprieves and then lessen their purchasing when the levies are set back in place.
—Ivan Illan, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
Verb
There’s no real such thing as a reprieve in the SEC, but to get through four top-20 teams with four wins might be the most impressive accomplishment in DeBoer’s short tenure.
—Ira Gorawara, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
The rest of the federal government was running on a two-hour delay, but Vought had offered his team no such reprieve.
—Andy Kroll, ProPublica, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for reprieve
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reprieve
Noun
-
If the pause continues, Forgotten Harvest will extensively fundraise.—
Nushrat Rahman,
Freep.com,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Congress signed into law a divest-or-ban order during the Biden administration, but Trump—whose Justice Department must enforce a ban—issued, then repeatedly extended, an enforcement pause in the interest of coming to terms about divestiture.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Malvo, now 40, is serving a life sentence without parole.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
25 Oct. 2025
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Later that same year, Barrow was re-arrested and spent two years in the Texas State Penitentiary before his parole in 1932.—
Ella Gonzales,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In a similar vein, pardon the pun, comes this Frank Wildhorn gothic musical about a Victorian-era doctor with two personalities, one an idealistic doctor, the other an evil murderer.—
Abby Hamblin,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Oct. 2025
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Trump cannot pardon himself in the hush money case because presidential clemency power only applies to federal cases.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Lower policy rates relieve pressure on floating-rate borrowers and can compress credit spreads before earnings estimates move.—
Robert Daugherty,
Forbes.com,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Beijing would be relieved that the United States is no longer muddying and in fact strengthening its nonsupport for independence.—
STEPHEN WERTHEIM,
Foreign Affairs,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The production interruption comes as Nissan undergoes global restructuring to reduce operating expenses and boost sales.—
Stuart Dyos,
Nashville Tennessean,
24 Oct. 2025
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An early interruption from the Editor, however, risks killing your idea before ink hits the page.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The President, not anonymous sources, is the final decider on pardons and commutations.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
21 Oct. 2025
-
The president has the right under the Constitution for pardon and commutation, of course.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
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By aiding mariners, Airy believed, such measurements provided a tangible service to the state that the newfangled spectroscopy might not be able to match.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
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Michael Kayode’s cannonball long throws, which Slot said Liverpool had practised defending on Friday and spoken about again on Saturday, were a constant problem, but the visitors repeatedly, and needlessly, aided Brentford by putting the ball out of play in their own defensive third.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In the doorway at the back of the altar room that led to the kitchen, the household staff stood watching, bringing hot water for the lamas to drink during breaks.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
-
The Senate left Capitol Hill on Thursday for a weekend break without signaling any moves to end the government shutdown.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Reprieve.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reprieve. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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