Word.ws English Dictionary

Synonyms of mercy

15 similar words · 3 opposite words

Another word for mercy is sympathy. Other synonyms of mercy are pity, leniency, quarter and commiseration. The opposite of mercy is cruelty.

Synonyms and similar words for mercy

nounRelenting; forbearance to cause or allow harm to another.

  • ruthSorrow for the misery of another person; compassion, mercy, pity.
  • kindness
  • leniencyThe quality of mercy or forgiveness, especially in the assignment of punishment as in a court case.
  • quarterAccommodation given to a defeated opponent; mercy; exemption from being killed.

nounForgiveness or compassion, especially toward those less fortunate.

  • pityA feeling of sympathy at the misfortune or suffering of someone or something.
  • sympathyA feeling of pity or sorrow for the suffering or distress of another.
  • commiserationThe act of commiserating; sorrow for the hardships or afflictions of another; pity; compassion.
  • compassion
  • empathy
  • fellow feelingA sense of sympathy for, consideration of, or shared interests with one or more other human beings.
  • tenderheartednessThe characteristic of being tenderhearted.
  • loving-kindness
  • bowels archaicCompassion, sympathy.
  • remorse obsoleteSorrow; pity; compassion.
  • rue archaic, dialectalPity; compassion.

Opposite of mercy

nounRelenting; forbearance to cause or allow harm to another.

  • mercilessnessThe property of being merciless.
  • ruthlessnessThe property of being ruthless.
  • crueltyAn indifference to suffering or pleasure in inflicting suffering.

Meaning of mercy

  1. noun Relenting; forbearance to cause or allow harm to another.
  2. noun Forgiveness or compassion, especially toward those less fortunate.
  3. noun A tendency toward forgiveness, pity, or compassion.

Full definition of mercy

mercy in other languages

Questions about synonyms of mercy

What is another word for mercy?
Mercy has 15 synonyms on Word.ws, such as sympathy, pity, leniency, quarter and commiseration.
What is the opposite of mercy?
The opposite of mercy is cruelty. Other antonyms of mercy are ruthlessness.
What does mercy mean?
Mercy means relenting; forbearance to cause or allow harm to another.

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: mercy (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Cite this page: “Synonyms of mercy.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/mercy. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.