Reprieve

ri-PREEV

Definition

  1. (noun) A temporary relief or delay from punishment or an unpleasant situation.
  2. (verb) To grant a postponement or break from something difficult or undesirable.

Example

The student’s unexpected snow day was a much-needed reprieve from final exams.

Fun Fact

The word “reprieve” originally referred to delaying executions, making it a term of life-or-death importance. While today it’s used more broadly—whether for a break from stress or an extension on a deadline—it still carries the sense of a temporary escape from something pressing.