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
-
The number of killings investigated last year fell to 67, with 57 of those categorized as murders — excluding cases such as justifiable homicides — a total not seen since 1967, according to data compiled by this news organization.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Jackson, who famously won an acquittal in the murder trial of Karen Read and represented disgraced film mogul Harvey Weinstein, did not explain his decision to withdraw from the case.—
Matt Gutman,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Police confirmed a homicide investigation is underway.—
Elyssa Kaufman,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In a shocking piece of reporting, Cora Engelbrecht speaks to five Iranians who were present at the massacre and—with the help of video evidence and illustrations by Matt Huynh—shares their stories.—
Ian Crouch,
New Yorker,
29 Jan. 2026
-
What the massacre destroyed, a century of disinvestment calcified.—
Caleb Gayle,
The Atlantic,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Also filed on Tuesday is a bill that would make assisted suicide a crime in Tennessee.—
Center Square,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Jan. 2026
-
New York is set to become the latest state to legalize medically assisted suicide for the terminally ill under a deal reached between the governor and state legislative leaders announced Wednesday.—
Anthony Izaguirre,
Fortune,
17 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mercy killing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mercy%20killing. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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