merciful
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of merciful
Explanation
Use the adjective merciful to describe someone who has compassion for other people, especially when he is in a position to punish them or treat them harshly. If you're caught cheating on a math test, your best hope is that your teacher will be merciful, or that she will forgive you for what you've done. Forgiving someone or relieving a person's pain are both merciful acts. The word merciful also has religious connotations which come from the root word mercy, used since the 12th century to mean "God's forgiveness of his creatures' offenses." The origin is the Old French merci, "pity or thanks."
Vocabulary lists containing merciful
Power Suffix: -ful
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Positive Words to Describe a Person
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Lee's General Order No. 9: A Farewell Address
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But this was a thorough demolition, Maye completing 19 of 21 passes for 256 yards, five touchdowns and a near-perfect 157 passer rating before a merciful Vrabel yanked him in the third quarter.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 29, 2025
The end arrived in the sixth round, Joshua knocking Paul to the floor and Young waving the farce to a merciful conclusion.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 20, 2025
"With immense gratitude for his example as a true disciple of the Lord Jesus, we commend the soul of Pope Francis to the infinite merciful love of the One and Triune God."
From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2025
The ash that fell on us for days was but a physical reminder, a merciful one at that, of the destruction just up the road from us.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 17, 2025
But the reality is, ladies and gentlemen, I am being merciful.
From "The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
