mercy killing

noun

: euthanasia

Examples of mercy killing in a Sentence

Some called her death a mercy killing.

Recent Examples on the Web

If the mercy killing wasn’t a big enough of a twist, the introduction of three outsiders who stumble upon the girls’ cannibalistic feast will do it. —Glenn Garner, Deadline, 17 Mar. 2025

Consider this review a mercy killing. —The New York Times, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025

More secrets emerge, Chappelle says there’s no time to explain, even mercy killing the dog. —Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 19 Jan. 2025

DJ Anne Harris is largely focused on mercy killing her relationship with Siobhan for Siobhan’s own good. —Keith Phipps, Vulture, 23 May 2021

The doctor carried out the mercy killing with her family’s consent and support. —Washington Post, 11 Sep. 2019

The woman later gave mixed signals about her desire to die, but the doctor, in close consultation with the woman’s family, decided to go ahead with the mercy killing. —Mike Corder, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Sep. 2019

In the Bollinger case, a handicapped baby was refused a lifesaving operation in Chicago in 1915, touching off a national debate over mercy killing the mentally disabled. —Grazie Pozo Christie, National Review, 13 Feb. 2018

In fact, the roots of mercy killing in modern times are lodged in the unsavory and downright savage practices of the last century. —Grazie Pozo Christie, National Review, 13 Feb. 2018

Word History

First Known Use

1925, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for mercy killing

• backfilling
• distilling
• fulfilling
• infilling
• instilling
• refilling
• sawmilling
• unwilling
• billing
• chilling
• drilling
• filling

Kids Definition

mercy killing

noun

: euthanasia

Medical Definition

mercy killing

noun

mer·​cy kill·​ing ˈmər-sē-ˌkil-iŋ 

: euthanasia

Legal Definition

mercy killing

noun

mer·​cy kill·​ing

: euthanasia