mercy killings

noun

plural of mercy killing
as in murders
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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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mercy killings
  1. murders
  2. homicides
  3. massacres
Noun
  • Two decomposed bodies have been found within five days at a park in western North Carolina, and both cases are classified as murders, according to investigators.
    — Mark Price July 26, Charlotte Observer, 26 July 2026
  • The sentencing of Rex Heuermann in the murders of at least eight women on Long Island should not be treated as the end of a horrific case.
    — Judy Harris Kluger, New York Daily News, 26 July 2026
Definition of murders
Noun
  • Romious said in her release that there have been reductions in homicides, non-fatal shootings and property crimes during the year.
    — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 30 July 2026
  • Shaw’s killing was one of four homicides that occurred within a three-day span, which police believe all stemmed from a feud between rival Oakland gangs.
    — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 28 July 2026
Definition of homicides
Noun
  • Although scarce documentation has left a wide range of estimates, as many as 2 million people are said to have been slaughtered in communal massacres during this exodus.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 29 July 2026
  • Like many other Jewish Americans, the retiree believes Israel is an essential refuge against the possible repetition of large-scale massacres of Jewish people, like the Holocaust, especially as concern about antisemitism rises among Jewish adults.
    — Giovanna Dell’Orto, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026
Definition of massacres
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.

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mercy killing
mercy killings
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Cite this Entry

“Mercy killings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mercy%20killings. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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