mercy

noun

ˈmər-sē How to pronounce mercy (audio)
Definition of mercynext
1
as in mercifulness
kind, gentle, or compassionate treatment especially towards someone who is undeserving of it always show your enemies mercy, because it makes you a better person

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in kindness
an act of kind assistance did a mercy for the stranded motorist and was richly rewarded

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in sympathy
the capacity for feeling for another's unhappiness or misfortune a woman of such mercy that she's been known to cry over dead rodents

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun mercy differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of mercy are charity, clemency, grace, and leniency. While all these words mean "a disposition to show kindness or compassion," mercy implies compassion that forbears punishing even when justice demands it.

threw himself on the mercy of the court

When would charity be a good substitute for mercy?

While the synonyms charity and mercy are close in meaning, charity stresses benevolence and goodwill shown in broad understanding and tolerance of others.

show a little charity for the less fortunate

When can clemency be used instead of mercy?

The words clemency and mercy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, clemency implies a mild or merciful disposition in one having the power or duty of punishing.

the judge refused to show clemency

When is it sensible to use grace instead of mercy?

The synonyms grace and mercy are sometimes interchangeable, but grace implies a benign attitude and a willingness to grant favors or make concessions.

by the grace of God

When is leniency a more appropriate choice than mercy?

The words leniency and mercy can be used in similar contexts, but leniency implies lack of severity in punishing.

criticized the courts for excessive leniency

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of mercy Pope Francis teaches us about hope and mercy from a Roman hospital bed. —Kathryn Jean Lopez, National Review, 3 Mar. 2025 Small mercies are welcome when the losses are this meek. —Tim Ellis, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2025 There were a few mercies scattered throughout the episode. —Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2025 There could be more of the same in the new month ahead, with bitcoin expected to be at the mercy of investors’ macro concerns despite its strong regulatory tailwinds. —Tanaya MacHeel,dylan Butts, CNBC, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for mercy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mercy
  1. kindness
  2. sympathy
  3. empathy
  4. grace
  5. compassion
  6. leniency
  7. service
  8. heart
Noun
  • Beyond baseball, Art was known for his kindness, humor, and deep appreciation for the people around him.
    — Daniel Brown, The Athletic, 9 Mar. 2025
  • And for Katelyn, the internet's kindness has arrived exactly at the right time.
    — William Lambers, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of kindness
Noun
  • But the comments section had less sympathy for the irate woman and determined the poster was not in the wrong.
    — Moná Thomas, People.com, 12 Mar. 2025
  • Matt starts garnering sympathy for Hector in the courtroom.
    — Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of sympathy
Noun
  • Their commitment to their clients and values of empathy, excellence, curation, and transparency is well-known and well-respected in the industry.
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Lead With Empathy Leading with empathy is crucial here.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of empathy
Noun
  • Then came Amazon, Theranos, and costly bets Walgreens, once a pharmacy chain juggernaut, has fallen from grace.
    — Francisco Velasquez, Quartz, 9 Mar. 2025
  • At 28 years and nine months old, the former New York Yankees outfielder who struck out to end the 2024 World Series is the youngest free agent still without a team — a puzzling fall from grace for a six-year veteran who is 2019 was the Los Angeles Dodgers No. 1 prospect.
    — William Lambers, Newsweek, 8 Mar. 2025
Definition of grace
Noun
  • And this week, Gordon added the Ed Block Courage Award to his resume, recognized by teammates for his courage, compassion, commitment and community service.
    — Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 14 Mar. 2025
  • As recent entries in the subgenre have proven, there’s plenty of compassion to be squeezed from the slasher genre as well.
    — Richard Newby, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of compassion
Noun
  • Chase was one of the few players to speak out about, what appeared to be, leniency from the referees during the Chiefs' numerous close games.
    — Justin Gest, Newsweek, 10 Feb. 2025
  • Price punished opponents, hired allies with questionable credentials, including her own boyfriend, insisted on leniency for violent criminals, undermined public disclosure laws, demonstrated prosecutorial bias, and allegedly made racist comments and tried to extort money from a political rival.
    — East Bay Times editorial, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2025
Definition of leniency
Noun
  • The service journalism teams at The News & Observer and The Charlotte Observer want to hear from you.
    — Evan Moore, Charlotte Observer, 20 Mar. 2025
  • In 2022, Ferdinand was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honors list for his services to soccer and charity.
    — Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Mar. 2025
Definition of service
Noun
  • She often is drawn to these boundary-defying health stories and has covered the brain-body connection in functional neurological disorders, heart conditions and even cancers.
    — Allison Parshall, Scientific American, 18 Mar. 2025
  • And for me, to be on the cover of Vogue Philippines, for my first Vogue cover, is so special and will forever just hold the most special place in my heart.
    — Kleigh Balugo, StyleCaster, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of heart

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Cite this Entry

“Mercy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mercy. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

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