reprieve

/rɪˈpriːv/ Formal

Say it: rih-PREEV

1. noun A temporary escape or relief from a difficult, dangerous, or unpleasant situation.
The afternoon rain brought a welcome reprieve from the sweltering summer heat.
2. noun The cancellation or postponement of a punishment, especially a death sentence.
The governor granted the condemned prisoner a last-minute reprieve.
3. verb To give a temporary break from something unpleasant or harmful.
The ceasefire reprieved the war-torn city from the constant shelling.
4. verb To cancel or postpone the punishment of someone, especially someone condemned to die.
His legal team fought to reprieve him, citing new DNA evidence.

📖 Seen in the wild

The condemned prisoner received a last-minute reprieve from execution.
collected by @vocablast

✏️ reprieve in a sentence

The unexpected grant provided a temporary reprieve for the struggling museum.
Finishing the project on Friday gave us a brief reprieve before the next big assignment started.
For homeowners with variable-rate mortgages, the drop in interest rates offered a much-needed reprieve.
The kids are at their grandparents' this weekend, so we get a little reprieve from the chaos.
The sudden clearing in the storm was a mere reprieve; he knew the worst was yet to come.
His confession did not reprieve him from a long prison sentence.
The company's strong quarterly earnings gave it a reprieve from investor pressure.

🔁 Synonyms & antonyms

respite stay relief letup pause break intermission postponement

respite · suggests a short, often scheduled, interval of rest from something tiring or difficult.

stay · a more formal or legal term for a temporary halt to a process, such as a 'stay of execution'.

relief · focuses more on the positive feeling of release from an unpleasantness.

letup · an informal term for a lessening of intensity or effort.

Opposites: continuation, persistence, intensification, aggravation

🌱 Where it comes from

The word 'reprieve' has a dramatic legal history. It comes from the late Middle English word 'repryve', which itself is from the Old French 'reprendre', meaning 'to take back'. The original sense was that a prisoner condemned to execution was 'taken back' to prison to await a delayed fate, rather than being sent immediately to the gallows.

🧩 How it's used

Common patterns:

a brief reprievea welcome reprievea temporary reprievea last-minute reprievegrant a reprieveseek a reprieve

Reprieve always implies a temporary delay or break from something negative. Its original, and still current, meaning relates to delaying a legal punishment, which gives the word a serious, formal weight. In general use, it's best for significant relief from serious trouble, like a financial crisis or intense pressure. Using it for a simple coffee break would sound overly dramatic, unless you're being humorous.

💬 Quick answers

What does reprieve mean in simple terms?

It means a temporary break from something bad. This could be a delay in a punishment, like a stay of execution, or simply a short period of relief from stress, heat, or danger.

What is the difference between a reprieve and a pardon?

A reprieve is a temporary delay of a punishment, while a pardon is a complete forgiveness that cancels the punishment entirely. A reprieve is a pause button; a pardon is a delete button.

Is 'reprieve' a formal word?

Yes, 'reprieve' is generally a formal word. While used in everyday contexts, it carries a more serious tone than synonyms like 'break' or 'letup'.

Can you get a reprieve from something good?

No, a reprieve is always a break from something negative. You get a reprieve from a difficult task, a punishment, or a bad situation, not from a vacation or a party.

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