leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice
"he threw himself on the mercy of the court"
a disposition to be kind and forgiving
"in those days a wife had to depend on the mercifulness of her husband"
the feeling that motivates compassion
"Her sudden act of kindness was driven by a deep sense of mercy toward the struggling family."
alleviation of distress; showing great kindness toward the distressed
"distributing food and clothing to the flood victims was an act of mercy"
Relenting; forbearance to cause or allow harm to another.
"After weeks of relentless criticism, the manager showed mercy by cancelling the final rehearsal so the team could rest."
In plain English: Mercy is when someone chooses not to punish you even though they have the power and right to do so.
"The coach showed mercy by letting the injured player sit out for the rest of the game."
Usage: Mercy refers specifically to the choice not to punish someone who deserves it, often in contexts of power imbalance like judges showing leniency or victors sparing defeated foes. It is distinct from pity because mercy involves an active decision to withhold deserved harm rather than just feeling sympathy for another's suffering.
To feel mercy
"The judge showed mercy by reducing the defendant's prison term after learning of his family's financial struggles."
A female given name from English, one of the less common Puritan virtue names.
"Mercy was a popular choice among early New England families looking to honor traditional Puritan virtues."
Expressing surprise or alarm.
"When he dropped his phone into the puddle, I let out a mercy when I saw how quickly it sank."
The word mercy entered Middle English from Anglo-Norman and Latin, where it originally referred to wages or a fee paid for goods. It eventually replaced the native Old English term mildheortnes, which literally meant "mildheartedness."