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 second-round pick has had to be patient for his moment after dealing with a groin injury in training camp.—
Adam Grosbard,
Oc Register,
19 Oct. 2025
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Milwaukee specialized in putting runs on the board in the regular season, advancing several baserunners through patient approaches at the plate, while also focusing on making contact.—
Nelson Espinal,
MSNBC Newsweek,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The short war in Cuba gained the United States the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico; turned the nation into a Pacific power; and created beliefs that America was a stern yet benevolent country tasked by Destiny to enforce peace and bring prosperity to the world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Oct. 2025
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Since that time, says Paine, even those fortunate enough to live under benevolent rule have seldom been more than one generation away from yet another dreadful monarch.—
Matthew Redmond,
The Conversation,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Talk through what’s bothering you to gain a compassionate perspective.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
18 Oct. 2025
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Advertisement Del Toro, on the other hand, portrays the Creature as a far more empathetic and compassionate figure.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The Klan hit its highest membership in 1924 in part due to a sympathetic governor and legislature, according to IHS.—
Joe Mutascio,
IndyStar,
17 Oct. 2025
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From patriarch Randolph onward, the Murdaughs are not a sympathetic group.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
15 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
How selfish of Fred Warner, goodness gracious.—
Michael Nowels,
Mercury News,
20 Oct. 2025
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That was a constant refrain in the life of this gracious philanthropist from Roslindale.—
Joe Dwinell,
Boston Herald,
19 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Jennifer Lawrence has the kind spirit of an expert hostess — just not the pantry.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
18 Oct. 2025
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The police were kind, the majority of them were polite, as individuals.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
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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Their gentle warm-up then transitions into a dynamic aerial exercise, where both robots lift their legs into the air and perform a twist.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
17 Oct. 2025
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Union also shared a video, shot by Wade, where her father reacts to gentle teasing from his son-in-law.—
Cara Lynn Shultz,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Merciful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/merciful. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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