Antonyms for mercy
ˈmɜr simer·cy

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. mercy

   Mercy is the exercise of less severity than one deserves, or in a more extended sense, the granting of kindness or favor beyond what one may rightly claim. Grace is favor, kindness, or blessing shown to the undeserving; forgiveness, mercy, and pardon are exercised toward the ill-deserving. Pardon remits the outward penalty which the offender deserves; forgiveness dismisses resentment or displeasure from the heart of the one offended; mercy seeks the highest possible good of the offender. There may be mercy without pardon, as in the mitigation of sentence, or in all possible alleviation of necessary severity; there may be cases where pardon would not be mercy, since it would encourage to repetition of the offense, from which timely punishment might have saved. Mercy is also used in the wider sense of refraining from harshness or cruelty toward those who are in one's power without fault of their own; as, they besought the robber to have mercy. Clemency is a colder word than mercy, and without its religious associations, signifying mildness and moderation in the use of power where severity would have legal or military, rather than moral sanction; it often denotes a habitual mildness of disposition on the part of the powerful, and is matter rather of good nature or policy than of principle. Leniency or lenity denotes an easy-going avoidance of severity; these words are more general and less magisterial than clemency; we should speak of the leniency of a parent, the clemency of a conqueror. Compare PITY.

   Antonyms:
   cruelty, hardness, harshness, implacability, justice, penalty, punishment, revenge, rigor, severity, sternness, vengeance

   Synonyms:
   benevolence, benignity, blessing, clemency, compassion, favor, forbearance, forgiveness, gentleness, grace, kindness, lenience, leniency, lenity, mildness, pardon, pardon, pity, tenderness

   Preposition:
   The mercy of God to or toward sinners; have mercy on or upon one.

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:4.5 / 2 votes

1. mercy

   Antonyms:
   exaction, harshness, cruelty, vengeance, unpityingness, unforgiveness

   Synonyms:
   compassion, clemency, forgiveness, forbearance, grace, benefit, gift, pity, leniency, tenderness

Matched Categories

1. • Blessing
   • Compassion
   • Humaneness
   • Leniency
   • Relief

Princeton's WordNetRate these antonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. clemency, mercifulness, mercynoun

   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:
   mildness, clemency, mercifulness

2. mercifulness, mercynoun

   a disposition to be kind and forgiving

   "in those days a wife had to depend on the mercifulness of her husband"

   Synonyms:
   clemency, mercifulness

3. mercifulness, mercynoun

   the feeling that motivates compassion

   Synonyms:
   clemency, mercifulness

4. mercynoun

   something for which to be thankful

   "it was a mercy we got out alive"

   Synonyms:
   clemency, mercifulness

5. mercynoun

   alleviation of distress; showing great kindness toward the distressed

   "distributing food and clothing to the flood victims was an act of mercy"

   Synonyms:
   clemency, mercifulness

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. mercynoun

   Antonyms:
   revenge, implacability, inclemency, incompassion

   Synonyms:
   clemency, pity, lenity, leniency, lenience, compassion, forgiveness, placability, discretion, disposal, blessing, favor

How to use mercy in a sentence?

1. Miguel De Cervantes:

   Among the attributes of God, although they are all equal, mercy shines with even more brilliancy than justice.

2. Dianne Marie Teresa Cole:

   While we’re undeserving recipients of God’s mercy, he honors us with compassion and forgiveness. It’s one of the greatest mysteries.

3. John Gay:

   Cowards are cruel, but the brave Love mercy, and delight to save.

4. Eliezer Rostran:

   We want everyone to know that my sister does not hate the actions of the subject. She doesn't hate the family either. She prays for mercy and loving kindness for all families involved.

5. Australians Myuran Sukumaran:

   We please ask the president to use his powers and intervene and save their lives, he's the only one who can stop it and it's not too late to do so. So I please ask the president, please show mercy.

How to pronounce mercy?

How to say mercy in sign language?

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