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.
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Recent Examples of mercy killing
Too much damage has been done to the character in recent years, to the point that any death would be seen as a mercy killing now.
—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
6 May 2026
For the rest of us, sudden death felt like a mercy killing.
—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
7 Feb. 2026
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
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 doctor carried out the mercy killing with her family’s consent and support.
—
Washington Post,
11 Sep. 2019
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
6 May 2026
For the rest of us, sudden death felt like a mercy killing.
—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
7 Feb. 2026
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
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 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
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Matos is charged with murder, carjacking, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in personal injury.
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Directed by Hong Kong’s Frankie Tam, the film draws on Hong Kong’s first murder case solved entirely through forensic evidence and without eyewitness testimony.
Noun
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Police said there were no signs of trauma or foul play and homicide detectives are investigating.
-
Pino faced charges of manslaughter and vessel homicide in connection with the crash, which killed 17-year-old Lucy Fernandez.
Noun
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Investigators said interviews with Sayer after his arrest indicated he was influenced by the Columbine High School massacre in 1999 that left 13 dead.
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Sacramento County prosecutors have placed Martin and Payton at the center of the massacre, a shootout at 10th and K streets that prosecutors say was fueled by gang rivalry, score-settling, anger and bravado, with deadly consequences.
Noun
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As the family's struggle unfolded, Castillo’s case was closely followed in Spain, which passed legislation in 2021 enshrining the right to euthanasia and medically assisted suicide for patients meeting certain conditions.
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OpenAI and the company’s CEO, Sam Altman, were named as defendants in several lawsuits that allege negligence, assisted suicide, involuntary manslaughter, wrongful death, and other product liability claims.
Cite this Entry
“Mercy killing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mercy%20killing. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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