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
Topline President Donald Trump’s pardons and commutations have cost more than $100 million in fines owed to the federal government and another $1.5 billion in restitution to victims.
—Sara Dorn, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
The commutation was supported by country music star Luke Bryan, according to a White House statement.
—Brett Kelman, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Jared Wise was on trial when he was pardoned as part of President Donald Trump's sweeping series of pardons and commutations for nearly all of the more than 1,500 individuals charged in connection with the Capitol attack.
—Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 1 July 2025
Trump has been on a clemency spree recently, including the commutation of the federal life sentence of Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for commutation
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Sara Dorn, Forbes.com, 4 July 2025
The commutation was supported by country music star Luke Bryan, according to a White House statement.
—Brett Kelman, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Jared Wise was on trial when he was pardoned as part of President Donald Trump's sweeping series of pardons and commutations for nearly all of the more than 1,500 individuals charged in connection with the Capitol attack.
—Alexander Mallin, ABC News, 1 July 2025
Trump has been on a clemency spree recently, including the commutation of the federal life sentence of Gangster Disciples founder Larry Hoover.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 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 21 Jul. 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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