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
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
Consider this review a mercy killing.
—The New York Times, New York Times, 17 Jan. 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
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
In the Bollinger case, a handicapped baby was refused a lifesaving operation in Chicago in 1915, touching off a national debate over mercy killing the mentally disabled.
—Grazie Pozo Christie, National Review, 13 Feb. 2018
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
Consider this review a mercy killing.
—The New York Times, New York Times, 17 Jan. 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
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
In the Bollinger case, a handicapped baby was refused a lifesaving operation in Chicago in 1915, touching off a national debate over mercy killing the mentally disabled.
—Grazie Pozo Christie, National Review, 13 Feb. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mercy killing
Noun
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Redlands police chief describes tense standoff with nudist colony murder suspect Redlands Police Chief Rachel Tolber tells reporters in a September news briefing how double murder suspect Michael Sparks allegedly tried to shoot himself during a standoff with officers before his gun misfired.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2025
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First-degree murder in Arkansas can be punished by 10 to 40 years or life.—
Ron Wood,
Arkansas Online,
19 June 2025
Noun
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The investigation of Read's case led to investigations into the investigators, leading to an audit into the Canton Police Department and the firing of a state police homicide detective.—
Michael Ruiz , Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2025
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Three days after O'Keefe's death, Read was arrested as a suspect on several charges, including manslaughter, motor vehicle homicide and leaving the scene of a personal injury or crime, per The Boston Globe.—
Jordana Comiter,
People.com,
18 June 2025
Noun
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Nearly 600 days after he was abducted by Hamas during the October 7 massacre, Edan Alexander returned home to New Jersey on Thursday to a deeply emotional homecoming.—
Efrat Lachter , Nate Foy , Julia Johnson,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2025
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The church's pastor, Clementa Pinckney, was one of the people killed in the massacre.—
Mark Strassmann,
CBS News,
17 June 2025
Noun
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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
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Because once assisted suicide, which Carr has been fighting against, becomes more of the rule than the exception for medicine in the West, there will often be no coroner and no questions.—
Kathryn Jean Lopez,
National Review,
16 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mercy killing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mercy%20killing. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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