How to Use mercy in a Sentence

mercy

noun
  • She fell to her knees and asked for mercy.
  • It's a mercy that the building was empty when the fire started.
  • Thank heaven for small mercies.
  • They came on a mission of mercy to provide food and medical care for starving children.
  • He is a vicious criminal who deserves no mercy.
  • The kayak shifted side-to-side at the mercy of the fish on the the end of my line.
    — Kristine Fischer, Outdoor Life, 12 Nov. 2020
  • As a customer, you’re left at the mercy of the brand — and that’s not good.
    — Jon Stojan, USA TODAY, 9 Aug. 2023
  • All this isn’t to say that China is stuck and at the mercy of the U.S.
    — Bob Davis, Time, 12 Apr. 2025
  • The defense asked for the mercy of the court ahead of the sentencing.
    — Nadine El-Bawab, ABC News, 31 May 2023
  • The clerk is sort of at the mercy of the judge all the way through his or her career.
    — Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 1 June 2021
  • In youth sports, a team can be saved by the mercy rule.
    — Jarrett Bell, USA TODAY, 30 Nov. 2020
  • But their broadcast was at the mercy of the world feed.
    — BostonGlobe.com, 19 June 2021
  • The plea for mercy is dire: arms are held up to ward off a blow.
    — Alex Ross, New Yorker, 23 June 2025
  • In a way, the swiftness of her death could be seen as a mercy.
    — Seija Rankin, EW.com, 14 Oct. 2021
  • In The Heights once again at the mercy of those who stand to profit off them.
    — Natalie Shure, The New Republic, 18 June 2021
  • Williams is at the mercy of when the nerve responds to treatment.
    — cleveland, 25 Nov. 2020
  • The cast and crew on this soundstage are at the mercy of a little blue ball.
    — Joel Rose, NPR, 16 May 2024
  • But free-floating balloons were, and still are, at the mercy of the winds.
    — Erik Ofgang, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 June 2024
  • The Colts are at the mercy of how other teams decide the order at the top.
    — Nate Atkins, The Indianapolis Star, 4 Feb. 2022
  • Each day will open the door to receive God's grace and mercy anew.
    — Nicole Villalpando, Austin American-Statesman, 1 Jan. 2025
  • In the chaos, many were left with no choice but to leave their animals at the mercy of the flames.
    — Terry Baddoo, USA TODAY, 21 Jan. 2025
  • Of course, all of this is at the mercy of this pandemic.
    — Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press, 1 Nov. 2020
  • The once-thriving world of Iko is in tatters at the mercy of the Giants who rule the 10 realms.
    — Joe Otterson, Variety, 16 Dec. 2024
  • That left him at the mercy of the Maker, who rules this universe.
    — Christian Holub, EW.com, 16 Sep. 2024
  • But better still are the great things, the feeling of mercy.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 19 Aug. 2022
  • After a bit more of that, the judge showed mercy and called a recess.
    — New York Times, 8 Feb. 2022
  • The young artist, thirsty for freedom, found himself at the mercy of belts and whips.
    — Lovia Gyarkye, New York Times, 11 Aug. 2023
  • Climate change will do that to a person at the mercy of rain; as will the need for love.
    — Helen Sullivan, The New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2024
  • Spain, who put five goals past Portugal on Thursday night, will not show such mercy.
    — Cerys Jones, New York Times, 4 July 2025
  • That's the small mercy serious songs offer: not false hope, but a candle in the hallway, proof that someone else stayed up too.
    — Philip Martin, Arkansas Online, 26 June 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mercy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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