pardon

noun
UK: /ˈpɑːdn/
US: /ˈpɑːrdən/

  1. The act of forgiving someone for an offense or mistake; forgiveness.

    1. I beg your pardon, I didn't hear what you said. [ ] [ ]
    2. The governor granted a full pardon to the wrongly convicted man after new evidence surfaced. [ ] [ ]

  2. A formal release from punishment for a crime.

    1. He received a pardon for his involvement in the crime. [ ] [ ]
    2. The president has the power to grant a pardon to individuals convicted of federal offenses. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

forgiveness absolution excuse amnesty
pardon transitive-verb

  1. To forgive someone for an offense or mistake; to excuse.

    1. Pardon me, is this seat taken? [ ] [ ]
    2. I hope you can pardon my late arrival; the traffic was terrible this morning. [ ] [ ]

  2. To officially release someone from punishment for a crime.

    1. The king pardoned the rebels after they surrendered. [ ] [ ]
    2. The governor decided to pardon several inmates due to overcrowding in the state's prisons. [ ] [ ]
pardon interjection

  1. Used as a polite expression of apology or request for repetition.

    1. Pardon? I didn't catch your name. [ ] [ ]
    2. Pardon, but I believe you're standing on my foot; could you please move? [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "pardon" in English means: The act of forgiving someone for an offense or mistake; forgiveness., A formal release from punishment for a crime..

The phonetic transcription of "pardon" is /ˈpɑːdn/ in British English and /ˈpɑːrdən/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "pardon": forgiveness, absolution, excuse, amnesty.

Example usage of "pardon": "I beg your pardon, I didn't hear what you said.". More examples on the page.