as in patient
showing kindness and forgiveness instead of harshness or cruelty especially to someone under one's authority or control
When our English teacher caught us cheating, we prayed he would be merciful in deciding our punishment.
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Recent Examples of merciful
The miserable 2024-25 New York Giants season came to a merciful end with a 20-13 loss to the division rival Philadelphia Eagles.
—
Charlotte Carroll, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
That, however, was the merciful end to the Flyers’ comeback bid as the B’s somehow survived the onslaught for the win.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 16 Mar. 2024
And the Bills routed the Jets, 40-14, to inch New York one game closer to a merciful end for a miserable season.
—Zak Keefer, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024
Eventually, the company will miss an earnings target or announce an earnings warning, and, as recent history has shown, the market will not be merciful in its reaction.
—Charles Rotblut, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for merciful
Charlotte Carroll, The Athletic, 5 Jan. 2025
That, however, was the merciful end to the Flyers’ comeback bid as the B’s somehow survived the onslaught for the win.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 16 Mar. 2024
And the Bills routed the Jets, 40-14, to inch New York one game closer to a merciful end for a miserable season.
—Zak Keefer, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024
Eventually, the company will miss an earnings target or announce an earnings warning, and, as recent history has shown, the market will not be merciful in its reaction.
—Charles Rotblut, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for merciful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for merciful
Adjective
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Cambridge is the perfect place to test out this technology because the Cambridge Biomedical Campus is a hub for world-class biomedical research, patient care and education.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
Fox News,
27 Feb. 2025
-
The pharmaceutical industry thrives on precision and an unwavering commitment to patient outcomes.—
Sivakumar Ramakrishnan,
Forbes,
27 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Secret Societies and the Fight for Black Freedom Dating to the pre-Revolutionary era, mutual aid and benevolent societies supported Black Americans and the fight for civil rights and justice.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
20 Feb. 2025
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Steves, with his impeccable recommendations, sensible budgeting options, and gently corny prose style, has served as the benevolent fairy godfather on more than one trip for me.—
Constance Grady,
Vox,
19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Even with their flaws and subjectivities, human therapists are equipped to hold a compassionate, adaptive space that AI currently can’t replicate.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes,
20 Feb. 2025
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June's story serves as a reminder of the dedication required to rescue and rehabilitate homeless animals, as well as the impact of compassionate individuals willing to go the extra mile.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
19 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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No doubt the many sympathetic replies that came her way were sincere.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Feb. 2025
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Karin’s a sympathetic reader, and less easily shocked than Johanna’s mom, Kristin (Ane Dahl Torp), with whom she feels compelled to share the novella-like work.—
Nicolas Rapold,
Deadline,
22 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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But each woman who was so gracious to spend time speaking with me is someone whose films have moved me.—
Marya E. Gates,
IndieWire,
19 Feb. 2025
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Darvish was gracious when asked about Gurriel’s gesture at the time.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The conflicts unleashed by these regional allies have not been particularly kind to the Iranian leadership.—
Foreign Affairs,
Foreign Affairs,
25 Feb. 2025
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Be kind to yourself when things don’t go as planned.—
Nicole Lipkin,
Forbes,
25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The cast includes Stephen Merchant as the voice of the mouse, Kristen Wiig as a scenery-chewing evil aunt, and Jim Broadbent as a kindly but clueless king.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
20 Dec. 2024
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In his fourth feature, director Hsiao Ya-Chuan follows the unsentimental education of a motherless 11-year-old boy, Liao Jie (Bai Run-yin), raised in poverty by his kindly father, Liao Tai-lai (Liu Kuan-Ting), a waiter at a busy banqueting hall.—
Alissa Simon,
Variety,
25 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Brittle minerality, acidity and fruitiness in this wine with rounded characteristics; sweet and sour and with gentle, creamy flavors.—
Tom Mullen,
Forbes,
23 Feb. 2025
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Bill was a gentle man and a gentleman, wise beyond our times.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
23 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Merciful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/merciful. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.
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