at the mercy of

1. Also, at someone's mercy . Subject to the power of, helpless against, as in The captured rebels were at the mercy of the army commander . [Late 1500s]

2. Without any protection against, as in On top of Mount Washington we were at the mercy of the elements . [Late 1600s]

Example Sentences

The left oar snapped, then the right, and suddenly the boat was at the mercy of the waves.

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The problem with the system is that with such slim majorities in parliament, a coalition is always at the mercy of a smaller party withdrawing support.

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England batted poorly but they did little wrong in the field; they were at the mercy of Wolvaardt's majestic and chanceless innings.

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“The auto industry, long built on global supply chains, now finds itself at the mercy of a single nation’s industrial policy,” said Michael Dunne, a longtime China automotive industry consultant, in a newsletter last week.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

We need to create alternatives so that our security and prosperity aren’t at the mercy of officials in Beijing.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal