commutation
noun
com·mu·ta·tion
ˌkäm-yə-ˈtā-shən 
-yü-
2
: replacement
specifically
: a substitution of one form of payment or charge for another
a commutation by money payment for the exacted service
3
: a change of a legal penalty or punishment to a lesser one
commutation of a death sentence
4
: an act or process of commuting
… a ridge of hills makes daily commutation to San Francisco arduous.—
The New York Times
The New York Times5
: the action of commutating
Examples of commutation in a Sentence
He appealed for a commutation of his death sentence to life imprisonment.
an international commutation of food for oil
Recent Examples on the Web
And in 2024, a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit found that pardons or commutations do not have to be issued in writing.
—Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2025
In January, Trump issued blanket pardons and commutations for those indicted or sentenced in connection with the riot, including Brown.
—Anita Gosch, Orange County Register, 16 Mar. 2025
A number of those who received pardons and commutations said they were turned away and left — prompting outrage from some on the right and their supporters.
—Emily Brooks, The Hill, 21 Feb. 2025
Mehta declined to remove the restrictions from their sentencing documents, but acknowledged that the commutation from Trump means those restrictions will not be enforced.
—Anders Hagstrom, Fox News, 27 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commutation
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Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 17 Mar. 2025
In January, Trump issued blanket pardons and commutations for those indicted or sentenced in connection with the riot, including Brown.
—Anita Gosch, Orange County Register, 16 Mar. 2025
A number of those who received pardons and commutations said they were turned away and left — prompting outrage from some on the right and their supporters.
—Emily Brooks, The Hill, 21 Feb. 2025
Mehta declined to remove the restrictions from their sentencing documents, but acknowledged that the commutation from Trump means those restrictions will not be enforced.
—Anders Hagstrom, Fox News, 27 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commutation
Cite this Entry
“Commutation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commutation. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
commutation
noun
com·mu·ta·tion
ˌkäm-yə-ˈtā-shən
2
: a reduction of a legal penalty
3
: an act of commuting
4
: the process of reversing the direction of an electric circuit
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