noun
Uncommon
amnesty
AM-nih-stee
Amnesty (noun) means an official pardon granted by a government, especially to a group of people who committed a political offense. Example: “The government offered amnesty to rebels who surrendered their weapons.”
noun
1
An official pardon granted by a government, especially to a group of people who committed a political offense.
"The government offered amnesty to rebels who surrendered their weapons."
"Thousands of undocumented workers applied under the new amnesty program."
"Police declared a weapons amnesty, allowing people to hand in knives without being charged."
verb
1
To officially grant a pardon to a person or group.
"The president chose to amnesty the low-level offenders."
"The new leader promised to amnesty prisoners held for peaceful protest."
"Officials decided to amnesty anyone who handed in illegal weapons before the deadline."
How to use amnesty
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn official pardon, usually offered to a whole group at once rather than one person.
Common pairings
grant amnesty
general amnesty
amnesty program
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Word forms
- Plural
- amnesties
- Third person singular
- amnesties
- Past tense
- amnestied
Fill the gap
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The government offered _____ to rebels who surrendered their weapons.
Etymology
From Greek amnestia, "forgetfulness" — the same root that gives us "amnesia"; an amnesty is a formal decision to officially forget an offense.
Synonyms
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Rhymes for amnesty
See all rhymes for amnesty →Frequently asked questions
What does “amnesty” mean?
The word “amnesty” means an official pardon granted by a government, especially to a group of people who committed a political offense. In plain terms, an official pardon, usually offered to a whole group at once rather than one person.
How do you pronounce “amnesty”?
“Amnesty” is pronounced AM-nih-stee (/ˈæm.nɪ.sti/ in IPA).
How do you use “amnesty” in a sentence?
Here is “amnesty” used in a sentence: “The government offered amnesty to rebels who surrendered their weapons.”
What part of speech is “amnesty”?
Depending on how it is used, “amnesty” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “amnesty” come from?
The word “amnesty” comes from Greek. From Greek amnestia, "forgetfulness" — the same root that gives us "amnesia"; an amnesty is a formal decision to officially forget an offense.
Is “amnesty” a common word?
“Amnesty” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “amnesty” have?
“Amnesty” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an official pardon granted by a government, especially to a group of people who committed a political offense.
What is the difference between "amnesty" and "pardon"?
An amnesty is an official pardon granted by a government, typically to a whole group of people who committed a political offense, while a pardon more commonly refers to forgiveness granted to a single individual for a specific crime. Amnesty also often erases the legal record of the offense, whereas a pardon may simply excuse punishment without erasing the conviction.
How is "amnesty" used as a verb?
As a verb, "to amnesty" someone means to officially grant them a pardon, as in "the government voted to amnesty the prisoners." This verb use is less common than the noun form but follows the same sense of formal, government-granted forgiveness.
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