To pardon someone means to officially forgive them for something wrong they've done, especially by canceling their punishment. When a governor pardons a prisoner, that person may be released from jail and their criminal record may be cleared. The U.S. president has the constitutional power to pardon people convicted of federal crimes.

In everyday conversation, “pardon” works as a polite way to say “excuse me” or “I'm sorry.” If you accidentally bump into someone in the hallway, you might say “Pardon me!” If you didn't quite hear what your teacher said, you could ask “Pardon?” or “I beg your pardon?”

The phrase “I beg your pardon” can also express surprise or mild offense, with a different tone than asking someone to repeat themselves. If a friend makes an outrageous claim, you might say “I beg your pardon?” to mean “What did you just say?”

A pardon (as a noun) is the act of forgiving itself. Receiving a pardon means getting a fresh start, with past mistakes officially forgiven. The word suggests both mercy and authority: someone with power choosing to show compassion rather than enforcing the full punishment.