merciful
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
- mercifully adverb
- mercifulness noun
- overmerciful adjective
- overmercifully adverb
- overmercifulness noun
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
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Positive Words to Describe a Person
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Lee's General Order No. 9: A Farewell Address
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
In America, Presbyterians preached salvation from sin through the grace of a merciful God.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 11, 2026
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
More immediately, the lighthouse is now accessible only by an expensive helicopter ride, if the winds are merciful and it is not shrouded by fog.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 26, 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
Lazlo reeled with the horror of it all, and with the incredible feeling that after all his own youth had been merciful.
From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor
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.
