A stay of execution is a legal term referring to the temporary suspension of a court-ordered punishment, usually referring to a death sentence. With this in mind, there are a few synonyms that could be used in its place. One example is a reprieve, referring to a temporary break from a punishment or obligation. Another is a commutation, which involves replacing a punishment with a less severe one. A stay of proceedings is also a related term, referring to the postponement or suspension of a legal case or trial. Regardless of the specific synonym used, all refer to a delay or suspension of previously ordered punishment.