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
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
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mercy killing
Noun
-
The Vice Lords is a gang whose members have been involved in murder, drug trafficking and other violent crime, according to the US Justice Department.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
6 Aug. 2025
-
Rates in murder and non-negligent manslaughter saw the biggest drop among the four categories, and is the lowest rate in nine years.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Cincinnati's homicide and shooting incident rates are currently higher than those of New York City and Chicago.—
Cameron Knight,
The Enquirer,
5 Aug. 2025
-
The Yogurt Shop Murders is a new HBO documentary about the unsolved 1991 homicide of four teenage girls in Austin.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
His original response to the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre of Israelis and others certainly was expected — a death penalty for the Palestinian terrorists who make even their own people suffer.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Aug. 2025
-
These same groups later carried out many of the grisly sectarian massacres of Alawite civilians along Syria’s coastal Latakia province in March, which killed at least 1,479, mostly civilians, following attacks by remnants of the former Assad regime.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 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 20 Aug. 2025.
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