mercifully

adverb

mer·​ci·​ful·​ly ˈmər-si-f(ə-)lē How to pronounce mercifully (audio)
1
: in a merciful manner
2
: fortunately sense 2
mercifully we didn't have to attend the meeting

Examples of mercifully in a Sentence

His crimes have been dealt with mercifully. Mercifully, the professor always makes our tests easy.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The rest of the staff, mercifully, takes a more pragmatic approach. Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2025 The Mavs made the play-in tournament and won at Sacramento before their season — mercifully, perhaps — ended in a loss at Memphis with the No. 8 seed at stake. Schuyler Dixon, Chicago Tribune, 24 June 2025 This stunning three-bedroom apartment was recently fully renovated, but mercifully, the original wall frescoes and vaulted ceilings were preserved. Madeline Weinfield, Architectural Digest, 23 June 2025 Her face on her computer screen, caught in the gaze of her webcam, was mercifully small, its eyes frozen in desperate concentration. Hannah Gold, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mercifully

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mercifully was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Mercifully.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mercifully. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

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