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View synonyms for

amnesty

[ am-nuh-stee ]

noun

plural amnesties.
  1. a general pardon for offenses, especially political offenses, against a government, often granted before any trial or conviction.
  2. Law. an act of forgiveness for past offenses, especially to a class of persons as a whole.
  3. a forgetting or overlooking of any past offense.


verb (used with object)

amnestied, amnestying.
  1. to grant amnesty to; pardon.

amnesty

/ ˈæɪɪ /

noun

  1. a general pardon, esp for offences against a government
  2. a period during which a law is suspended to allow offenders to admit their crime without fear of prosecution
  3. law a pardon granted by the Crown or Executive and effected by statute
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. tr to overlook or forget (an offence)
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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yvlog History and Origins

Origin of amnesty1

First recorded in 1570–80; from Middle French amnestie, or directly from Latin ŧپ, from Greek ŧí “oblivion,” equivalent to áŧ(Dz) “forgetting” (from a- negative prefix + ŧ- “remember” + -tos verbal adjective suffix) + -ia noun suffix; a- 6, -y 3
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yvlog History and Origins

Origin of amnesty1

C16: from Latin ŧپ, from Greek: oblivion, from ŧٴDz forgetting, from a- 1+ -ŧٴDz, from mnasthai to remember
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Synonym Study

See pardon.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The European Parliament called on Thailand last month to reform the law, which it said was "among the strictest in the world", and grant amnesty to those prosecuted and imprisoned under it.

From

If you’re against mass deportations and want to see some sort of amnesty, it’s easy to feel deflated right now and even easier to curse Orange County for its past.

From

If anything, he said, Reagan made things worse by signing a 1986 law granting amnesty to about 3 million people who came to the U.S. illegally.

From

It will be up to Paris to grant "clemency, amnesty or a reduced sentence", he said.

From

An amnesty has been granted as police seek to take several types of gun commonly used in shootings off the streets.

From

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More About Amnesty

What does amnesty mean?

Amnesty is a pardon for offenses against a government, especially before a trial or conviction for those offenses.

Amnesty also means an overlooking of past offenses.

In law, amnesty refers to an act of forgiveness for past offenses, often issued to a class of people.

An amnesty is a pardon for criminal offenses. However, a pardon can only be given after someone is judged guilty. Amnesty can be given before a judgment is made.

Amnesty often also refers to the process of allowing undocumented immigrants stay in the country rather than be deported.

Sometimes, an amnesty is named after the thing being forgiven. For example, an amnesty that says as long as you give in your illegal guns to the government you won’t be prosecuted for illegal ownership would be called a gun amnesty or firearm amnesty.

Example: The government offered an amnesty for anyone owning an illegal weapon if they handed the weapon in before the deadline.

Where does amnesty come from?

The first records of the term amnesty come from around the 1570s. It ultimately comes from the Greek word ŧí, meaning “oblivion.”

Did you know … ?

What are some synonyms for amnesty?

What are some words that share a root or word element with amnesty?

What are some words that often get used in discussing amnesty?

How is amnesty used in real life?

Amnesty is generally used to describe pardons for criminal offenses, but you’ll see it in the name of the charitable organization Amnesty International.

Try using amnesty!

Which of the following words is NOT a synonym of amnesty?

A. pardon
B. immunity
C. reprieve
D. blame

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