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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun mercy differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of mercy are charity, clemency, grace, and leniency. While all these words mean "a disposition to show kindness or compassion," mercy implies compassion that forbears punishing even when justice demands it.

threw himself on the mercy of the court

When would charity be a good substitute for mercy?

While the synonyms charity and mercy are close in meaning, charity stresses benevolence and goodwill shown in broad understanding and tolerance of others.

show a little charity for the less fortunate

When can clemency be used instead of mercy?

The words clemency and mercy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, clemency implies a mild or merciful disposition in one having the power or duty of punishing.

the judge refused to show clemency

When is it sensible to use grace instead of mercy?

The synonyms grace and mercy are sometimes interchangeable, but grace implies a benign attitude and a willingness to grant favors or make concessions.

by the grace of God

When is leniency a more appropriate choice than mercy?

The words leniency and mercy can be used in similar contexts, but leniency implies lack of severity in punishing.

criticized the courts for excessive leniency

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of mercy Soon after that Tagovailoa was mercy benched, replaced with eight minutes left by rookie Quinn Ewers. Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2025 The Twits don’t have a change of heart and end up as outcasts once more, but the film frames Beesha’s mercy toward them in a positive light. Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 17 Oct. 2025 The folks at the unfortunate mercy of such shenanigans, however, might just be Dart and Broncos quarterback Bo Nix. Luca Evans, Denver Post, 17 Oct. 2025 As Shiva, Afshari is a revelation of steely resolve, a pragmatist who holds fast to her conciliatory principles until a final scene that pushes her capacity for mercy to its limits. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mercy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mercy
Noun
  • In the end, even kindness comes with a price tag.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Likewise, the children of the late Minnesota Speaker of the House who was gunned down last summer, Melissa Hortman, also reminded us that the only way out is to treat each other with kindness and respect—a useful message for our political leaders and fellow citizens to heed.
    Time, Time, 21 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Following Irwin’s death, musicians like Kacey Musgraves, Ed Sheeran, Jon Bon Jovi and Margo Price all took to social media to express their sympathies.
    Stuart Dyos, Nashville Tennessean, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Federline feels bad for her — but there is a limit to that sympathy, in part because of her alleged mistreatment of their sons.
    Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Experts agree that a mindful, responsive approach to underparenting teaches independence, emotional regulation, creativity, resilience, and empathy.
    Alex Vance, Parents, 21 Oct. 2025
  • His empathy drives a lot of really great decisions, and a lot of really poor decisions.
    Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Give yourselve some grace with some perspective.
    Bill Hoogterp, Fortune, 19 Oct. 2025
  • Beamer earned some grace with three winning seasons in his first four.
    Seth Emerson, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • With trust and engagement at an all-time low, companies need to help leaders strengthen human skills such as self-awareness, clear communication, and compassion.
    Rasmus Hougaard, Harvard Business Review, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Jane tried so hard for so many years to spread her message of hope and compassion.
    Lisa Wade, Mercury News, 19 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Tottleben had a tumultuous upbringing, according to friends who wrote letters to the judge asking for leniency last year in his federal sentence.
    Erik Ortiz, NBC news, 22 Oct. 2025
  • Trump’s leniency toward dubious white-collar figures also extends well beyond the crypto realm.
    Evan Hughes, The Atlantic, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The Dreadnought vessels, due to enter service from the early 2030s, are the replacement for the Vanguard-class submarines, which currently deliver the Continuous At Sea Deterrent (CASD) for the Royal Navy.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
  • More than 70 of its own services were affected.
    Tasmin Lockwood,Katrina Bishop, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The third-highest goal scorer in the club’s history had his heart set on chasing down more records and winning another Golden Boot.
    James Pearce, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
  • My heart doesn't feel okay with it.
    Liza Esquibias, PEOPLE, 23 Oct. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Mercy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mercy. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on mercy

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