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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 Don’t leave my child at the mercy of Lord Lovat. Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2025 So Williams signed up, along with about 30 others on Dogtooth Bend, finally ready to call mercy to the river. Molly Parker, ProPublica, 4 Sep. 2025 Nearly a dozen letters were sent to the court at the end of August, pleading for the judge to show mercy for Erickson, who was the last person to reach a deal with prosecutors. Chris Ramirez, jsonline.com, 3 Sep. 2025 By the end of the Friday morning hearing, Torres had heard the victim’s family talk about how they were ostracized by relatives angry about Doe finally coming forward — as well as supporters including Torres’ sister pleading for mercy from the judge. Robert Salonga, Mercury News, 29 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mercy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mercy
Noun
  • Having a solid structure in place can allow kindness to thrive without compromising the performance of your team or operations.
    Roxana Diaconu, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Your loving kindness stays with me.
    Carson Blackwelder, People.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Last season, Kelly doing something like this probably earned little sympathy from LSU fans because the Tigers underperformed.
    Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Characters like Sophie, who decide against parenthood, are portrayed with sympathy and respect; but so too are the relationships between parents and children, which the game presents as meaningful.
    G Kirilloff, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The stories within Bunheads, Act 2 are about teamwork, camaraderie and empathy for those around you.
    Essence, Essence, 16 Sep. 2025
  • The survey data reveals that 60% of employees believe their leaders lack empathy during layoffs, while 54% don't trust leadership to handle workforce reductions fairly.
    Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The airline's fall from grace should worry anyone with loyalty to the brand.
    Christopher Elliott, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • Whether someone's interests bore you or a mispronunciation is getting on your nerves, approach every conversation about such subjects with grace.
    David Oliver, USA Today, 13 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Lead for Influence and Impact Offer stability and clarity, integrity and transparency as well as empathy and compassion.
    Tracy Brower, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025
  • In the clip, the Mexican-American singer talks about the importance of having compassion and helping her community, while also visiting a local supermarket and paying for the groceries of many strangers.
    Jessica Roiz, Billboard, 13 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • In a proffer, a defendant usually provides information to prosecutors in exchange for a plea deal or leniency.
    Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 10 Sep. 2025
  • Hawthorne’s family speaks Hawthorne’s mother, Vonda Hawthorne, and a family friend also spoke on his behalf, asking the judge to consider some leniency in his sentencing.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 2 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Nor does the executive order bar any federal agency from continuing to offer its services, websites, and materials in Spanish, Mandarin, Arabic, or hundreds of other languages spoken across the country.
    Doug Melville, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Today, there are several dozens of SubHDR systems in service.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 15 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • This isn't the first time a dog with an unusual breed mix has melted hearts online.
    Alice Gibbs, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
  • Researchers have previously noted an elevated but rare risk of myocarditis, or inflamed heart muscle, in young men in particular.
    Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 18 Sep. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Mercy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mercy. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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