commutation

noun

com·​mu·​ta·​tion ˌkäm-yə-ˈtā-shən 

-yü-

1

: exchange, trade

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

5

: the action of commutating

Synonyms

• back-and-forth
• barter
• dicker
• exchange
• quid pro quo
• swap
• trade
• trade-off
• truck

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

Others who received commutations include members of the far-right group the Proud Boys, who were serving sentences after they were convicted of numerous crimes and accused of assaulting law enforcement. —Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2025

While pardons vacate a defendant's conviction, a commutation leaves the conviction in place while lessening the sentence. —Anders Hagstrom, Fox News, 27 Jan. 2025

First, Biden granted pardons and commutations to more than 8,000 individuals, which is more than any other modern president. —Raul A. Reyes, Newsweek, 22 Jan. 2025

While there may have been individual cases among those convicted of violent acts that would warrant a pardon or commutation after a thorough review of the facts, Trump should have drawn the line there. —The Editors, National Review, 22 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English commutacion, from Anglo-French, from Latin commutation-, commutatio, from commutare

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing commutation

• commutation ticket

Kids Definition

commutation

noun

com·​mu·​ta·​tion ˌkäm-yə-ˈtā-shən 

1

: exchange entry 1 sense 2, replacement

2

: a reduction of a legal penalty

3

: an act of commuting

4

: the process of reversing the direction of an electric circuit