MERCIFUL Synonyms: 120 Similar and Opposite Words

merciful

adjective

Definition of merciful

as in patient

showing kindness and forgiveness instead of harshness or cruelty especially to someone under one's authority or control When our English teacher caught us cheating, we prayed he would be merciful in deciding our punishment.

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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 merciful Would Homelander be merciful and spare just this one? — Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 29 Apr. 2026 Ever since Jimmy Butler tore his ACL in January, the only reprieve from this slog of a campaign has been the promise of a swift, merciful end. — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 13 Apr. 2026 Guthrie and her siblings recorded videos, pleading for news, for help, for a merciful change of heart from whoever had absconded with their mom. — Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 1 Apr. 2026 Despite his impassive eyes, balding pate, and slit of a smile, Robert Duvall could be volcanic and melancholic, mysterious and straightforward, vengeful and merciful. — Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 27 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for merciful

Recent Examples of Synonyms for merciful

Adjective

Sellers are getting patient, and buyers are calling more of the shots than the headline numbers suggest.

— Sara B. Hansen, Denver Post, 24 July 2026
Review social media posts Social media platforms and patient reviews can be a useful tool before visiting for a consultation.

— Ella Moore July 23, Miami Herald, 23 July 2026

Definition of patient

Adjective

Dorothea centers on a Sacramento woman (Davis) who ran a boarding house for the less fortunate in the 1980s, but her seemingly benevolent actions belied her sinister motives.

— Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 7 July 2026
That would be intolerable in any other setting – not because every voter or marcher is admirable, but because constitutional rights are not based on a government employee’s benevolent opinion.

— George A. Mocsary, The Conversation, 7 July 2026

Definition of benevolent

Adjective

However, patients such as those enrolled in this trial, doctors and others may contact the drug company with a request for compassionate use.

— Susanne Rust Follow, Los Angeles Times, 23 July 2026
The most compassionate thing a leader can do is make the right call with dignity.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026

Definition of compassionate

Adjective

The Love Goddess Venus enters your sign, spotlighting self-worth and a gracious presence that helps people feel at ease around you.

— Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 9 July 2026
Over the years, the Caesars Entertainment team has won over guests with its premier service, glamorous suites, and gracious staff.

— Paris Wilson, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 July 2026

Definition of gracious

Adjective

Nakassis, who has spent his career studying the archaeological record of the Mycenaean and other early Greek civilizations, is sympathetic to the practical challenge a film production depicting the ancient world faces.

— Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 22 July 2026
And the freshman Democrat also sees his proposal as focused on a hugely sympathetic population of the American public.

— Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 21 July 2026

Definition of sympathetic

Adjective

Harris stars in the show as veterinarian and war veteran Everett McKinney – a man with a kind heart and violent capabilities.

— David Hookstead OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 July 2026
There are similarities between the two cities — hard-working people who can be bristly, but also kind and genuine.

— James Pearce, New York Times, 20 July 2026

Definition of kind

Adjective

Even the kindly Florida manatee, connoisseur of bayou seagrass, sometimes flies into a carnivorous rage, snapping up fish and gnashing them in its terrible teeth.

— David Merritt Johns, The Atlantic, 27 June 2026
The show sends Pride & Prejudice‘s resident frump (a charming Ella Bruccoleri) on a journey of self-discovery filled with kindly relatives, enormous books, lavish balls and, yes, eligible suitors.

— Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 June 2026

Definition of kindly

Adjective

Two of Latin alternative’s gentlest souls combine their heart-on-your-sleeve electronic and indie-folk impulses for a breezy, languorous collaborative record.

— E.R. Pulgar, Pitchfork, 20 July 2026
Underwater speakers played gentle music, bringing me back and signaling the hour was up.

— Tim Neville, Travel + Leisure, 20 July 2026

Definition of gentle

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merciful

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Style

“Merciful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/merciful. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of merciful

adjective

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