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
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
-
Tyler Robinson, 22, has been charged with his murder.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
-
The City of Boston has paid $150,000 as part of a settlement agreement with two Black men wrongfully accused in the 1989 murder of a white pregnant woman, Carol Stuart.—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The death of a 23-year-old man at Waupun Correctional Institution in March has been ruled a homicide, according to a medical examiner’s determination.—
Vanessa Swales,
jsonline.com,
25 Sep. 2025
-
With nearly 944,000 residents, that works out to about 12 homicides for every 100,000 people.—
Nora O'Neill,
Charlotte Observer,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Scott Starzyk booted a 49-yard field goal to bring Arkansas within 28-13, but the Fighting Irish completed their first-half massacre with two more touchdowns to drain the energy from the home crowd.—
Tom Murphy,
Arkansas Online,
27 Sep. 2025
-
Amazingly, there are photographs of the massacre of hundreds of civilians at the village of My Lai.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
27 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In other countries, assisted suicide is a much more common cause of death.—
Sally Pipes,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
-
Other countries that have legalized assisted suicide include Australia, Belgium, Canada and parts of the United States, with regulations on who is eligible varying by jurisdiction.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mercy killing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mercy%20killing. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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