English · Word Candidate

amnesty

/ˈæm.nɪ.sti/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: amnesties · amnestying · amnestied

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Forgetfulness; cessation of remembrance of wrong; oblivion.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

An act of the sovereign power granting oblivion, or a general pardon, for a past offense, as to subjects concerned in an insurrection.

Noun

Examples

Argentina has seen few legal issues as contentiously debated as these two laws of amnesty during the last two decades. […] Pursuant to the Convention on Forced Disappearance, amnesties may not contemplate a statutory limitation period less than that corresponding to the gravest crime punishable by d

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

To grant a pardon (to a group).

Verb

Examples

Shortly after the end of military rule in 1983, the Argentinean National Congress passed legislation that effectively amnestied many persons who allegedly committed human rights violations such as torture, extra-judicial killing, and forced disappearance. […] In other words, a government may be just

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “amnesty” mean?

Forgetfulness; cessation of remembrance of wrong; oblivion.

Is “amnesty” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.