mercy
noun
mer·cy ˈmər-sē 
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
- charity
- clemency
- forbearance
- lenience
- leniency
- lenity
- mercifulness
- quarter
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
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 Sand bubbler crabs dip above and below the surface, leaving their intricate designs at the mercy of high tide and flip-flops. 
Lily Radziemski, Washington Post, 16 Sep. 2022 All of Aviv’s subjects, herself included, live at the mercy of social and medical constructions, and yet strive to shape and reshape their irreducible, protean selves. Jordan Kisner, The Atlantic, 13 Sep. 2022 Jackson’s mother, Nancy Rhodes, urged the judge to have mercy on her son. oregonlive, 25 July 2022 The state’s second highest court batted down a legal challenge from two district attorneys and the families of four crime victims, who argued the governor’s acts of mercy were procedurally flawed and therefore unlawful. oregonlive, 10 Aug. 2022 There is an argument to be made, though, that the loss of the money owed is a minimal price in the context of the profit that has been made, and that there is justice to this form of mercy. Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica, 27 July 2022 There is an argument to be made, though, that the loss of the money owed is a minimal price in the context of the profit that has been made, and that there is justice to this form of mercy. New York Times, 27 July 2022 Regardless of the evidence, any juror can vote for life in prison out of mercy. Terry Spencer, BostonGlobe.com, 18 July 2022 Regardless of the evidence, any juror can vote for life in prison out of mercy. CBS News, 18 July 2022 See More
Lily Radziemski, Washington Post, 16 Sep. 2022 All of Aviv’s subjects, herself included, live at the mercy of social and medical constructions, and yet strive to shape and reshape their irreducible, protean selves. Jordan Kisner, The Atlantic, 13 Sep. 2022 Jackson’s mother, Nancy Rhodes, urged the judge to have mercy on her son. oregonlive, 25 July 2022 The state’s second highest court batted down a legal challenge from two district attorneys and the families of four crime victims, who argued the governor’s acts of mercy were procedurally flawed and therefore unlawful. oregonlive, 10 Aug. 2022 There is an argument to be made, though, that the loss of the money owed is a minimal price in the context of the profit that has been made, and that there is justice to this form of mercy. Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica, 27 July 2022 There is an argument to be made, though, that the loss of the money owed is a minimal price in the context of the profit that has been made, and that there is justice to this form of mercy. New York Times, 27 July 2022 Regardless of the evidence, any juror can vote for life in prison out of mercy. Terry Spencer, BostonGlobe.com, 18 July 2022 Regardless of the evidence, any juror can vote for life in prison out of mercy. CBS News, 18 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Anglo-French merci, from Medieval Latin merced-, merces, from Latin, price paid, wages, from merc-, merx merchandise
First Known Use
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Phrases Containing mercy
Kids Definition
mercy
noun
mer·cy ˈmər-sē
plural mercies
1
: kind and forgiving treatment of someone (as a wrongdoer or an opponent)
The prisoners were shown mercy.
2
: kindness or help given to an unfortunate person
an act of mercy
3
: a kind sympathetic disposition : willingness to forgive, spare, or help
"There is not a scrap of pity or mercy in your heart …" Brian Jacques, Redwall
Brian Jacques, Redwall4
: a blessing as an act of divine love
the mercies of God
5
: a fortunate happening
It's a mercy that we arrived in time.
mercy
noun
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- mercifulness
- empathy
- compassion
- leniency
- grace
- kindness
- sympathy
- clemency
- forbearance
- lenience
- goodness
- pity
- lenity
- tenderness
- charity
- generosity
- love
- understanding
- affection
- quarter
- gentleness
- humanitarianism
- benevolence
- magnanimity
- goodwill
- meekness
- softness
- worship
- philanthropy
- favor
- humaneness
- devotion
- altruism
- nobility
- kindliness
- mildness
- care
- niceness
- commiseration
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- vengeance
- mercilessness
- revenge
- ruthlessness
- retribution
- punishment
- retaliation
- pitilessness
- cruelty
- violence
- vindictiveness
- uncharitableness
- brutality
- savagery
- hatred
- virulence
- barbarity
- requital
- discipline
- reprisal
- sadism
- venom
- spite
- viciousness
- chastisement
- scolding
- savageness
- hard-heartedness
- malice
- hate
- vitriol
- wantonness
- malevolence
- truculence
- atrocity
- loathing
- hostility
- abhorrence
- enmity
- castigation
- meanness
- malignity
- jealousy
- abomination
- maliciousness
- spitefulness
- antagonism
- spleen
- detestation
- malignancy
- animosity
- resentment
- antipathy
- bitterness
- execration
- gall
- nastiness
- grudge
- harshness
- hardness
- bile
- rancor
- hatefulness
- jaundice
- roughness
- pique
- invidiousness
- coarseness
- cattiness
2
as in kindness
an act of kind assistance did a mercy for the stranded motorist and was richly rewarded Synonyms & Similar Words
- kindness
- grace
- benevolence
- service
- privilege
- indulgence
- blessing
- courtesy
- boon
- favor
- dispensation
- benefit
- turn
- advantage
- waiver
- liberty
- godsend
- manna
- license
- licence
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- interference
- hindrance
- obstacle
- impediment
- hurdle
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 Synonyms & Similar Words
- kindness
- sympathy
- compassion
- pity
- generosity
- heart
- humanity
- ruth
- kindliness
- kindheartedness
- sensitivity
- commiseration
- feeling
- feelings
- responsiveness
- good-heartedness
- charity
- warmheartedness
- largeheartedness
- love
- empathy
- bigheartedness
- affection
- softheartedness
- benevolence
- regard
- sensibility
- humaneness
- benignity
- altruism
- goodwill
- affinity
- humanitarianism
- humanism
- rapport
- philanthropy
- benignancy
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- mercilessness
- inhumanity
- indifference
- pitilessness
- callousness
- cruelty
- coldness
- coldheartedness
- unconcern
- hard-heartedness
- disinterest
- hatred
- inhumanness
- harshness
- hostility
- animosity
- antipathy
- dislike
Synonym Chooser
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
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
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
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
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