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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Recent Examples of merciful
Not only did the team put an offensive moniker that shall remain nameless in this space in its past, but Snyder's sad and disturbing reign as owner finally came to a merciful end.
—
Jim Reineking, USA Today, 21 July 2025
Savory pork and briny tapenade slam against your palate, while a merciful scattering of greens doused with lemon juice softens the blow.
—Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
The stoppage in the 11th round was a merciful one from Barrera’s corner.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Orner practices merciful distillation, infusing every word with regret, sorrow, or wonder.
—Donna Seaman
june 18, Literary Hub, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for merciful
Jim Reineking, USA Today, 21 July 2025
Savory pork and briny tapenade slam against your palate, while a merciful scattering of greens doused with lemon juice softens the blow.
—Bradley Hohulin, IndyStar, 2 July 2025
The stoppage in the 11th round was a merciful one from Barrera’s corner.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
Orner practices merciful distillation, infusing every word with regret, sorrow, or wonder.
—Donna Seaman
june 18, Literary Hub, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for merciful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for merciful
Adjective
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The broad cuts have raised backlash from nursing home operators and patient advocacy groups.—
Bram Sable-Smith,
NPR,
5 Oct. 2025
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At many of these hospitals, flooding from heavy storms has the potential to jeopardize patient care, block access to emergency rooms, and force evacuations.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Jesus and Belania shriek and thank Christian, who stands there looking like a benevolent fashion angel bestowing them with good luck.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
19 Sep. 2025
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To achieve excellence in AI, nations need the compute, but also chip production, AI talent, workforce and corporate adoption, benevolent government regulation, and a thriving ecosystem of AI startups.—
John Koetsier,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Through the compassionate yet rigorous structures of restorative justice and the generosity of two people who might have spent their lives hating him, Dunne changed course.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
30 Sep. 2025
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When dads model respect and emotional awareness at home, their kids—and their coworkers—benefit from stronger, more compassionate leadership.—
Alex Shoemaker,
Parents,
26 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Still, not everyone in the Reddit thread was sympathetic.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
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Advertisement As many of the best villains do, Ok-seon has a sympathetic backstory.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The flagship offers an expansive collection of wallcoverings, rugs, furniture, and more, and aims to capture the welcoming, gracious environment the brand is known for while signaling its evolution.—
Sydney Gore,
Architectural Digest,
29 Sep. 2025
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But these aren’t gods in oh-so-gracious robes or with armor or holding lightning bolts in their hands.—
David Lyman,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Despite the genre's themes, horror fans describe their community as kind, open-minded, and welcoming.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
5 Oct. 2025
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Hearing so many kind words this rapidly leaves Kalkbrenner grateful.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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There’s no Nurse Ratched here, however, but there is the kindly Steve, who watches out for all of them, especially Shy, who is hiding a secret from the others.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
5 Sep. 2025
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To that end, BALLS imagines a reality where the kindly Professor NPC who offers you a choice of three starter monsters is actually the one who created both the technology and normalized culture of trapping living things in spherical prisons.—
Josh Weiss,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This is a gentle fractional laser treatment that works by creating micro zones of heat in the skin, benefiting the complexion while boosting elasticity.—
Samantha Mims,
Essence,
3 Oct. 2025
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Even its most mean-spirited plotline, in which a married couple assemble a fake theater production to humiliate their ex-neighbor whose noisiness prompted them to move, is presented as more of a gentle exercise in silliness than anything truly vindictive.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Merciful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/merciful. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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