as in murder
the act of ending the life of someone who is very sick or injured in order to prevent any further suffering
Some called her death a mercy killing.
Related Words
Relevance
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 killing
Kelson teaches Spike how to grow beyond his parents, giving Isla a mercy killing and allowing Spike to place her skull on the top of the structure.
—
Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
While this was a funeral rite for some in the Roman period, the researchers think the man was decapitated as a mercy killing after the lion bite.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2025
If the mercy killing wasn’t a big enough of a twist, the introduction of three outsiders who stumble upon the girls’ cannibalistic feast will do it.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 17 Mar. 2025
More secrets emerge, Chappelle says there’s no time to explain, even mercy killing the dog.
—Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 19 Jan. 2025
Consider this review a mercy killing.
—The New York Times, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
DJ Anne Harris is largely focused on mercy killing her relationship with Siobhan for Siobhan’s own good.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 23 May 2021
The woman later gave mixed signals about her desire to die, but the doctor, in close consultation with the woman’s family, decided to go ahead with the mercy killing.
—Mike Corder, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Sep. 2019
The doctor carried out the mercy killing with her family’s consent and support.
—Washington Post, 11 Sep. 2019
Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
While this was a funeral rite for some in the Roman period, the researchers think the man was decapitated as a mercy killing after the lion bite.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2025
If the mercy killing wasn’t a big enough of a twist, the introduction of three outsiders who stumble upon the girls’ cannibalistic feast will do it.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 17 Mar. 2025
More secrets emerge, Chappelle says there’s no time to explain, even mercy killing the dog.
—Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 19 Jan. 2025
Consider this review a mercy killing.
—The New York Times, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
DJ Anne Harris is largely focused on mercy killing her relationship with Siobhan for Siobhan’s own good.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 23 May 2021
The woman later gave mixed signals about her desire to die, but the doctor, in close consultation with the woman’s family, decided to go ahead with the mercy killing.
—Mike Corder, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Sep. 2019
The doctor carried out the mercy killing with her family’s consent and support.
—Washington Post, 11 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mercy killing
Noun
-
Cody Balmer, 38, pleaded guilty on Tuesday in a Pennsylvania courtroom to attempted murder and other charges connected to the April arson of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro's home.—
Jenna Sundel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
-
Bartnik was detained at the scene and ultimately charged with murder, per the release.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The Philadelphia Police Department’s homicide division is leading the investigation into Scott’s disappearance with assistance from the FBI’s Violent Crime Task Force.—
Dalia Faheid,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025
-
He is being held without bond after being charged with three state counts of vehicular homicide and immigration violations.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Cell tower data placed his phone inside Israel near Kibbutz Kfar Aza, one of the sites where Hamas and its supporters carried out a brutal massacre.—
Greg Norman , Michael Dorgan,
FOXNews.com,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Bondi established the task force in February to spearhead the DOJ’s investigations into the perpetrators of the massacre.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
But assisted suicide is anything but compassionate for vulnerable people, like the tragic story of my friend with anorexia, Jane Allen, which shows how assisted suicide laws threaten the lives of the young and curable.—
Matt Vallière,
Denver Post,
2 Oct. 2025
-
In other countries, assisted suicide is a much more common cause of death.—
Sally Pipes,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mercy killing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mercy%20killing. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share