Mercy - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

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SKIP TO CONTENT mercy /ˈmʌrsi/ /ˈmʌsi/ IPA guide

Other forms: mercies

Compassion leads you to have mercy, which is like forgiveness. If you have mercy on someone, you let them off the hook or are kind to them somehow.

This is a quality that has to do with compassion, forgiveness, and leniency. If convicted of a crime, you might plead for the judge's mercy, meaning a lesser punishment. When people say "May God have mercy on me!" they're asking for forgiveness. Mercy may be given or received. You might show your little cousin mercy by not forcing him to eat a worm. People jokingly say a bad singer is showing mercy if she ends the show early.

Definitions of mercy

noun a disposition to be kind and forgiving synonyms: mercifulness see moresee less types: compassion, pity the humane quality of understanding the suffering of others and wanting to do something about it forgivingness, kindness tendency to be kind and forgiving lenience, leniency, lenity, mildness mercifulness as a consequence of being lenient or tolerant type of: humaneness the quality of compassion or consideration for others (people or animals)
noun the feeling that motivates compassion synonyms: mercifulness see moresee less types: forgiveness compassionate feelings that support a willingness to forgive type of: compassion, compassionateness a deep awareness of and sympathy for another's suffering
noun something for which to be thankful “it was a mercy we got out alive” see moresee less type of: blessing, boon a desirable state
noun alleviation of distress; showing great kindness toward the distressed “distributing food and clothing to the flood victims was an act of mercy” see moresee less type of: ministration, relief, succor, succour assistance in time of difficulty
noun leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice “he threw himself on the mercy of the court” synonyms: clemency, mercifulness see moresee less types: show 4 types... hide 4 types... commutation, re-sentencing (law) the reduction in severity of a punishment imposed by law amnesty, free pardon, pardon the formal act of liberating someone quarter clemency or mercy shown to a defeated opponent reprieve, respite the act of reprieving; postponing or remitting punishment type of: lenience, leniency lightening a penalty or excusing from a chore by judges or parents or teachers

Pronunciation US /ˈmʌrsi/ UK /ˈmʌsi/ Cite this entry Style: MLA

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