plural mercies
1
a
: compassion or forbearance (see forbearance sense 1) shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one's power
also
: lenient or compassionate treatment
begged for mercy
b
: imprisonment rather than death imposed as penalty for first-degree murder
2
a
: a blessing that is an act of divine favor or compassion
May God have mercy on us.
b
: a fortunate circumstance
it was a mercy they found her before she froze
3
: compassionate treatment of those in distress
works of mercy among the poor
mercy
adjective
Synonyms
Examples of mercy in a Sentence
He is a vicious criminal who deserves no mercy.
She fell to her knees and asked for mercy.
They came on a mission of mercy to provide food and medical care for starving children.
It's a mercy that the building was empty when the fire started.
Thank heaven for small mercies.
Recent Examples on the Web
Nestor is a man trying to maintain his dignity while at the mercy of everyone around him, his frustrations rising to the surface at the slightest provocation from his back-talking kids or his younger brother (Valentin Mexico), a hotshot with a Trans Am.
—
Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Feb. 2025
Without legislative backing, foreign aid will remain at the mercy of political cycles.
—Sean P. Brooks, Orlando Sentinel, 14 Feb. 2025
Right Reverend Mariann Budde recently went viral for asking President Donald Trump to show mercy to LGBTQ+ and migrant communities.
—Jason Parham, WIRED, 14 Feb. 2025
As Kollar-Kotelly was sentencing a 75-year-old Catholic woman for praying in front of the clinic, the woman’s husband and attorney pleaded with her for mercy, citing the woman’s advanced age and rapidly declining health.
—Robert Schmad, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 13 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for mercy 
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Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Feb. 2025
Without legislative backing, foreign aid will remain at the mercy of political cycles.
—Sean P. Brooks, Orlando Sentinel, 14 Feb. 2025
Right Reverend Mariann Budde recently went viral for asking President Donald Trump to show mercy to LGBTQ+ and migrant communities.
—Jason Parham, WIRED, 14 Feb. 2025
As Kollar-Kotelly was sentencing a 75-year-old Catholic woman for praying in front of the clinic, the woman’s husband and attorney pleaded with her for mercy, citing the woman’s advanced age and rapidly declining health.
—Robert Schmad, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 13 Feb. 2025
See all Example Sentences for mercy
Dictionary Entries Near mercy
Cite this Entry
“Mercy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mercy. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mercy
noun
mer·cy
ˈmər-sē 
plural mercies
1
a
: kind and gentle treatment of someone (as a wrongdoer or opponent) having no right to it
b
: a disposition to show mercy
2
a
: a blessing as an act of divine love
the mercies of God
b
: a fortunate happening
it's a mercy the weather cooled off
3
: kindness shown to victims of misfortune
works of mercy among the poor
Etymology
Middle English merci, mercy "mercy," from early French merci, mercit (same meaning), from Latin merces "price paid for something, wages, reward"
Word Origin
To the ancient Romans, the Latin word merces meant "price paid for something, wages, reward." The early Christians of Rome used the word in a slightly different way. For them it meant the spiritual reward one receives for doing a kindness in response to an unkindness. The word came into early French as mercit or merci with much the same meaning as was later passed on to our Modern English word mercy. But while mercy in English now has the meaning "kindness or pity shown to someone," the word merci in French has lost much of that meaning and is chiefly used today to mean "thank you."
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