mercy
gb/mˈɚsi/ us/mˈɚsi/
B1
English
~ 8200
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
kindness instead of punishment
Kind and forgiving treatment when you could punish or hurt someone but choose not to.
Usage pattern:
to show mercy to [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "mercy" with "pity". "Mercy" usually involves power and a choice about punishment (a judge shows mercy), while "pity" is mainly a feeling of sadness for someone. Also, learners often say *"have mercy of someone"*; the correct preposition is "on": "have mercy on someone".
Synonyms
leniency (Focuses on reducing punishment, especially in legal or official situations; slightly more formal.)
|
compassion (Emphasizes feeling and concern for another's suffering; not always about punishment or power.)
|
clemency (A formal or legal term for mercy shown by someone in authority, such as a judge or government.)
Antonyms
cruelty (Stresses taking pleasure in causing pain or suffering instead of showing mercy.)
|
harshness (Emphasizes being very strict or severe, especially in punishment, without mercy.)
|
ruthlessness (Complete lack of mercy or pity, especially when making hard decisions.)
Collocations
show mercy
|have mercy
|beg for mercy
|ask for mercy
|show no mercy
|plead for mercy
Themes
emotions
|law
|religion
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The judge showed mercy and gave him a shorter sentence.
- They begged for mercy, but the soldiers refused to listen.
- She decided to show no mercy to companies that cheated their customers.
- Out of mercy, the doctor spoke gently when giving the bad news.
- He threw himself on the mercy of the court and admitted everything.
Learner examples
- The king showed mercy and did not kill the man.
- The teacher had mercy and did not give us extra homework.
- The prisoner asked for mercy before the punishment.
- Please have mercy on him; he is just a child.
- She is known for her mercy to poor people.
Noun
B2
event
2
a lucky relief from harm
A good or lucky thing that stops something very bad or painful from happening, or makes it less bad.
Usage pattern:
it is a mercy that [clause]
Common mistake:
Learners may try to say *"it was mercy"* without an article. In this sense, English usually uses "a" or "the": "It was a mercy that no one was hurt." Also, some learners confuse this with the main meaning of "mercy" as kindness; here it refers to the event or situation itself, not to a person's character.
Synonyms
blessing (Commonly used to describe something very good or helpful in life; often more positive and thankful in tone.)
|
relief (Focuses on the feeling when pain, worry, or danger becomes less or stops.)
|
saving grace (A feature that makes a generally bad situation or person better; slightly more idiomatic.)
Antonyms
misfortune (A bad or unlucky event instead of a good or lucky mercy.)
|
disaster (A very serious bad event, the opposite of a mercy that prevents great harm.)
Collocations
a mercy that
|small mercies
|it was a mercy
|thank heaven for small mercies
|by a mercy
Themes
daily life
|luck
|safety
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- It was a mercy that the children were asleep when the fire started.
- By a mercy, the storm changed direction at the last minute.
- The cool wind was a mercy after such a hot day.
- We should be thankful for small mercies, like having power back even if the internet is still down.
- Her quick thinking was a real mercy in a dangerous situation.
Learner examples
- It was a mercy that nobody died in the accident.
- The rain stopped, and that was a big mercy for the players.
- After hours of walking, the bus was a mercy.
- We lost money, but it was a mercy that we did not lose our house.
- The shade from the tree was a mercy in the hot sun.
Noun
formal
B2
entity
3
God's forgiveness and kindness
In religion, the loving forgiveness and help that God gives to people, even when they do not deserve it.
Usage pattern:
the mercy of God toward [someone]
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize that in religious writing, "mercy" is often capitalized in some styles ("Divine Mercy") when used as a name for a special idea or devotion. In general English, it is not capitalized.
Synonyms
grace (A key religious term, especially in Christianity, for free and undeserved kindness from God; often broader than mercy.)
|
forgiveness (Focuses on letting go of blame for sin or mistakes; not always specifically divine.)
|
compassion (Emotional concern for suffering; in religious use, stresses God's tender care.)
Antonyms
judgment (In religious language, the act of God punishing sin instead of showing mercy.)
|
wrath (Strong, often divine anger that leads to punishment, opposed to mercy and forgiveness.)
Collocations
God's mercy
|the mercy of God
|pray for mercy
|divine mercy
|trust in His mercy
Themes
religion
|emotions
|ethics
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- They prayed for God's mercy during the war.
- Many hymns speak about the mercy of God toward sinners.
- She believed it was only by divine mercy that she survived the illness.
- The sermon focused on the balance between justice and mercy.
- He threw himself on the mercy of God, asking for a new beginning.
Learner examples
- They thanked God for His mercy.
- The priest talked about God's mercy and love.
- In many religions, people ask for mercy when they pray.
- She believes she is alive because of God's mercy.
- The book tells a story about sin and mercy.
interjection
informal
B2
action
4
exclamation of pleading or shock
A short word you say to ask someone not to hurt or punish you, or to show you are very surprised or shocked.
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse this exclamation in modern English. In many places it sounds old-fashioned or very regional. In everyday conversation, people more often say things like "Oh my God", "Wow", or "Oh no" instead of "Mercy!".
Synonyms
please (Used more generally to make a polite request; does not usually show fear or shock like "Mercy!".)
|
oh my (Expresses surprise or shock but does not ask for leniency.)
Antonyms
good! (A positive exclamation of approval, opposite in emotional tone to a fearful or shocked "Mercy!".)
Collocations
Mercy!
|Lord, have mercy!
|Mercy me!
Themes
emotions
|conversation
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- “Mercy!” she cried as the dog jumped up on her.
- “Lord, have mercy, that was close,” he said after the car almost hit them.
- “Mercy me, I forgot her birthday again,” he muttered.
- The crowd shouted, “Have mercy!” when they saw the player was badly hurt.
- “Mercy, that exam was hard,” one student whispered to another.
Learner examples
- “Mercy!” the girl shouted when the ball flew at her face.
- “Lord, have mercy, this bag is heavy,” he said.
- “Mercy me, I am late again,” she said.
- People cried, “Have mercy!” when they saw the man in pain.
- He laughed and said, “Mercy, that roller coaster was scary.”
Grammar
Dictionary form
mercy
IPA
GB/mˈɚsi/
US/mˈɚsi/
Syllables & stress
mercy (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (mercy)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: mercy
- Plural: mercies, mercy
Word family
Expressions
at the mercy of
1/ˈæt ðə mˈɚsi əv/
idiom
completely controlled by something
To be in a situation where you cannot control what happens, and another person or thing can easily harm or help you.
Examples
- The small boat was at the mercy of the stormy sea.
- Without savings, they were at the mercy of their employer.
- Refugees are often at the mercy of people smugglers.
do [someone] a mercy
1/dˈu sˈʌmwˌʌn ə mˈɚsi/
fixed phrase
do a kind relieving act
To do something kind that helps someone, often by ending something that is hard or unpleasant for them.
Examples
- Do me a mercy and turn that music down.
- The vet did the old dog a mercy and put her to sleep.
- If you really want to do him a mercy, tell him the truth.
God have mercy (on us/you/them)
1/ɡˈɑd hˈæv mˈɚsi ˈɔn əsiˈʌθəm/
fixed phrase
formal
prayer for God's forgiveness or help
A religious way to ask God to forgive or protect someone, especially in danger or after doing wrong.
Examples
- “God have mercy on us,” she whispered as the earthquake shook the house.
- The priest said, “God have mercy on his soul,” at the funeral.
- People cried, “God have mercy on them,” when they heard about the disaster.
have mercy on [someone]
1/hˈæv mˈɚsi ˈɔn sˈʌmwˌʌn/
fixed phrase
treat kindly, not punish
To be kind to someone when you could punish or hurt them, and not be too strict or hard.
Examples
- Please have mercy on him; he made a stupid mistake but he is not a bad person.
- The landlord had mercy on the family and gave them more time to pay the rent.
- He hoped the coach would have mercy on him after he missed the winning shot.
leave [someone] at the mercy of
1/lˈiv sˈʌmwˌʌn ˈæt ðə mˈɚsi əv/
fixed phrase
expose someone to uncontrolled power
To put someone in a situation where they cannot protect themselves and another person or thing can easily hurt or control them.
Examples
- The broken locks left the residents at the mercy of thieves.
- Cutting the budget will leave many people at the mercy of loan sharks.
- Abandoning the project would leave the villagers at the mercy of flooding.
Lord, have mercy
1/lˈɔɹd | hˈæv mˈɚsi/
fixed phrase
religious or emotional exclamation
A phrase used to ask God for help or forgiveness, or to show strong surprise, fear, or shock.
Examples
- “Lord, have mercy, what happened here?” the neighbor asked.
- In the service the choir sang, “Lord, have mercy on us.”
- “Lord, have mercy, that exam was impossible,” he said as he left the room.
mercy killing
1/mˈɚsi kˈɪlɪŋ/
fixed phrase
killing to end suffering
The act of killing a person or animal who is suffering very much, in order to stop their pain; also called euthanasia.
Examples
- The film raised difficult questions about mercy killing and the right to die.
- Some people support mercy killing, while others strongly oppose it for moral reasons.
- The vet suggested a mercy killing because the horse was in constant pain.
mercy me
1/mˈɚsi mˈi/
idiom
informal
old-fashioned surprise exclamation
An old-fashioned phrase you say when you are very surprised or shocked, but not usually angry.
Examples
- “Mercy me, look how tall you've grown!” his grandmother said.
- “Mercy me, I didn't expect to see you here,” she laughed.
show mercy
1/ʃˈoʊ mˈɚsi/
fixed phrase
behave with forgiveness or kindness
To act in a kind and forgiving way, especially by not giving a very hard punishment.
Examples
- The committee showed mercy and allowed her to retake the exam.
- They begged the king to show mercy to the prisoners.
- Doctors asked the government to show mercy and allow the child into the country for treatment.
small mercies
1/smˈɔl mˈɚsiz/
idiom
little things to be thankful for
Small good things that make a bad or difficult situation a little better.
Examples
- The train was late, but at least it wasn't cancelled; we should be grateful for small mercies.
- The weather was terrible, but the power stayed on—one of the few small mercies that week.
throw yourself on [someone]'s mercy
1/θɹˈoʊ jʊɹsˈɛlf ˈɔn sˈoʊmˈoʊnz mˈɚsi/
idiom
rely completely on someone's kindness
To ask someone who has power over you to decide what happens to you, hoping they will be kind and not too hard.
Examples
- He decided to confess everything and throw himself on the mercy of the court.
- With no money and no lawyer, she threw herself on the mercy of the judge.
- Realizing he had no defense, he threw himself on his boss's mercy.
beg for mercy
1/bˈɛɡ fɚ mˈɚsi/
fixed phrase
ask not to be punished harshly
To ask someone strongly and emotionally not to hurt you or punish you too much.
Examples
- The prisoner begged for mercy before sentencing.
- The man fell to his knees and begged for mercy.
- He begged for mercy when he saw the angry crowd.
- They begged for mercy, but the dictator ignored them.
- In the story, the defeated soldiers beg for mercy from their enemies.