as in murder
the act of ending the life of someone who is very sick or injured in order to prevent any further suffering
Some called her death a mercy killing.
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Recent Examples of mercy killing
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
After both of those mercy kill eliminations, there's only one more woman cut at the actual rose ceremony this week: poor Bibi.
—Ashley Iaconetti, Cosmopolitan, 16 Jan. 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
Spirit Airlines has since come out to deny any wrongdoing, saying that while Aldecosea was misinformed initially by the airline initially, a gate representative did not suggest mercy killing Pebbles.
—Sarah Weldon, Cosmopolitan, 8 Feb. 2018
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
After both of those mercy kill eliminations, there's only one more woman cut at the actual rose ceremony this week: poor Bibi.
—Ashley Iaconetti, Cosmopolitan, 16 Jan. 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
Spirit Airlines has since come out to deny any wrongdoing, saying that while Aldecosea was misinformed initially by the airline initially, a gate representative did not suggest mercy killing Pebbles.
—Sarah Weldon, Cosmopolitan, 8 Feb. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mercy killing
Noun
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Deputy District Attorney David Jarman, who is prosecuting the case, said the facts support a second-degree murder charge.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Mar. 2025
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Andre Braugher was set to star in Netflix’s murder mystery comedy The Residence before his death.—
Peter White,
Deadline,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
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At a time when homicides and shootings are dropping dramatically in Baltimore, new data shows the city still averages at least one carjacking a day.—
Rebecca Pryor,
Baltimore Sun,
14 Mar. 2025
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Investigators initially charged Kyle Hill, 33, with DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide before upgrading the charges to first degree murder and attempted first degree murder, St. Petersburg police announced on Wednesday.—
Samira Asma-Sadeque,
People.com,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
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There remains some debate over whether the attack led by John Mason, a Connecticut Colony founder honored with a statue in a niche on the Capitol, can be celebrated as Pequot War victory or a criminal massacre of women and children.—
Mark Pazniokas,
Hartford Courant,
15 Mar. 2025
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The Orlando City Council last month endorsed a design for a memorial unanimously approved by the Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee, which included relatives of the 49 people who died in the massacre and some members who had visited the club that horrible night in June 2016.—
Stephen Hudak,
Orlando Sentinel,
13 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Marijuana legalization, assisted suicide, voting procedures and school curriculum are additional examples of issues where states have set their own policies.—
Claire B. Wofford,
The Conversation,
27 Jan. 2025
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Canada under Trudeau expanded the culture of death to adults as well, legalizing medically assisted suicide in 2016 and then expanding the situations in which it is permitted in 2021.—
The Editors,
National Review,
7 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mercy killing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mercy%20killing. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
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