1
as in mercifulness
kind, gentle, or compassionate treatment especially towards someone who is undeserving of it
always show your enemies mercy, because it makes you a better person
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2
as in kindness
an act of kind assistance
did a mercy for the stranded motorist and was richly rewarded
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3
as in sympathy
the capacity for feeling for another's unhappiness or misfortune
a woman of such mercy that she's been known to cry over dead rodents
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mercy
Mistle mercy-kills the thing that used to be Juniper.
—
Scott Meslow, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
Early on, the larvae are very tiny and at the mercy of sea currents, explains Pruett, who has studied them in the lab.
—JSTOR Daily, 31 Oct. 2025
Their recording was a kinetic thrashathon with machine-gun-fast guitar notes and solos and Hetfield’s convincing screams for mercy.
—Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2025
After suffering a major setback in March by losing the capital of Khartoum, the RSF regained the initiative in the following months, culminating in the SAF withdrawing from its last stronghold in western Sudan, El Fasher, leaving it at the RSF’s mercy.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mercy
Scott Meslow, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025
Early on, the larvae are very tiny and at the mercy of sea currents, explains Pruett, who has studied them in the lab.
—JSTOR Daily, 31 Oct. 2025
Their recording was a kinetic thrashathon with machine-gun-fast guitar notes and solos and Hetfield’s convincing screams for mercy.
—Althea Legaspi, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2025
After suffering a major setback in March by losing the capital of Khartoum, the RSF regained the initiative in the following months, culminating in the SAF withdrawing from its last stronghold in western Sudan, El Fasher, leaving it at the RSF’s mercy.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 30 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mercy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mercy
Noun
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Squid Game is an elimination game, but there are these moments of deep altruism and kindness even amongst it.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
Entertainment Weekly,
11 Nov. 2025
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The space is charming, and the entire team radiates warmth and kindness.—
Carlos Rico,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
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In a 2017 oral history of the notorious scene, One Tree Hill creator Mark Schwahn recalled that the origins of the scene lay in the idea of cultivating some sympathy for the villainous Dan.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Nov. 2025
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Viewers were quick to share their sympathy for the gentle dog.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Virginia Ritter spent most of her of the rest of her life vacillating between empathy and anger for her daughter's killer, all the while serving as a fierce victims' rights advocate in Nashville.—
Brad Schmitt,
Nashville Tennessean,
11 Nov. 2025
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Serena, following in her father’s footsteps, was a beacon of empathy and hope, inspiring all with her commitment to humanitarian work.—
Becca Longmire,
PEOPLE,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Mia's courage, optimism and grace touched the lives of the entire Husky community.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
8 Nov. 2025
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Not everyone is convinced economic talk is the way back into voters’ good graces.—
Shelby Talcott,
semafor.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
The human element, the essence of trust and compassion, is exactly where AI stumbles.—
Dr. Nicholas Cozzi,
Time,
10 Nov. 2025
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Another commenter took a softer approach, encouraging compassion while still supporting the woman’s feelings.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Survivors say the denomination’s pattern of secrecy and leniency deepened their trauma.—
Mike Hixenbaugh,
NBC news,
30 Oct. 2025
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Trump’s leniency toward dubious white-collar figures also extends well beyond the crypto realm.—
Evan Hughes,
The Atlantic,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In addition to marketing and contract management services, Cureate offers educational courses.—
Cristina LaRue,
Arkansas Online,
9 Nov. 2025
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An Assumption block and a Notre Dame error tied the score, but Emily Keiran's service error gave the Pandas a 15-14 lead.—
Rich Barak,
Louisville Courier Journal,
9 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Still, more robust research was needed to declare that the portfolio diet leads to heart-health benefits for everyone, including healthy individuals.—
Renée Onque,
CNBC,
6 Nov. 2025
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Gizmo’s incredible adoption story has certainly melted hearts online after Neveux documented her journey on TikTok (@saviiirose).—
Alyce Collins,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mercy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mercy. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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