mercy

noun

1)

he showed no mercy to the others

Syn:

leniency, clemency, compassion, grace, pity, charity, forgiveness, forbearance, quarter, humanity; soft-heartedness, tenderheartedness, kindness, sympathy, liberality, indulgence, tolerance, generosity, magnanimity, beneficence

Ant:

ruthlessness, cruelty

2)

we must be thankful for small mercies

Syn:

blessing, godsend, boon, favor, piece/stroke of luck, windfall

•

- at the mercy of

••

mercy, benevolence, charity, clemency, compassion, leniency

If you want to win friends and influence people, it's best to start with benevolence, a general term for goodwill and kindness (a grandfather's benevolence). Charity is even better, suggesting generous giving (the baker gave him bread out of charity) but also meaning tolerance and understanding of others (she viewed his selfish behavior with charity). Compassion is a feeling of sympathy or sorrow for someone else's misfortune (he has shown compassion for the homeless), and often includes showing mercy. Aside from its religious overtones, mercy means compassion or kindness in our treatment of others, especially those who have offended us or who deserve punishment (mercy toward the pickpocket). Clemency is mercy shown by someone whose duty or function it is to administer justice or punish offenses (the judge granted clemency), while leniency emphasizes gentleness, softness, or lack of severity, even if it isn't quite deserved (a father's leniency in punishing his young son).