lenient
Gentle and not strict when someone breaks a rule.
lenient in a sentence
- The lenient referee gave a warning instead of a red card.
- Our lenient babysitter let us stay up ten minutes past bedtime without a fuss.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to lenient?
- Astrict
- Bgentle
- Cfirm
- Dharsh
Show the answer
B: gentle. The other three mean the opposite of lenient.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to lenient?
- Agentle
- Bstrict
- Csoft
- Deasy
Show the answer
B: strict. The other three mean nearly the same as lenient.
Words that mean something similar
gentle, soft, easy
Words that mean the opposite
strict, harsh, firm
More words about behaviour & manners
- liberty: The freedom to live, think and act as you choose.
- lure: To tempt a person or animal into going somewhere.
- meddle: To interfere in things that are not your business.
- menace: Something or someone that causes danger or harm.
- mercy: The kindness you show someone when you could have punished or harmed them.
- mingle: To mix with other people at a gathering.
- mischievous: Naughty in a playful way.
- mislead: To give someone a wrong idea on purpose.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test