mercy
Pronunciation
Noun
B1 Intermediate
Quick answer
Kindness shown toward someone who could rightfully be punished or treated harshly.
Synonyms and antonyms
Synonyms
forgiveness
leniency
Antonyms
cruelty
harshness
Usage notes
"At the mercy of" is a common idiom meaning completely without protection from something, as in "at the mercy of the weather."
Test yourself
Which word fits the gap? "The judge showed _____ and reduced the young man's sentence."
Answer: mercy
In your own words, what does "mercy" mean?
Kindness shown toward someone who could rightfully be punished or treated harshly.
Learn next at B1
- mesa An isolated hill with steep sides and a flat top, larger than a butte.
- mesosphere The layer of the earth's atmosphere above the stratosphere, where most...
- mess A dirty or untidy state, or a confused or difficult situation.
- mestizo A person of mixed European and Indigenous American ancestry, especiall...
- metamorphic Describes rock that has been transformed by intense heat and pressure...
- metaphorical Based on or using a metaphor, meaning something is understood symbolic...