mercy
The kindness you show someone when you could have punished or harmed them.
mercy in a sentence
- The king showed mercy and let the hungry thief go free.
- The lion spared the little mouse, and the mouse never forgot its mercy.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to mercy?
- Aharshness
- Bkindness
- Ccruelty
- Druthlessness
Show the answer
B: kindness. The other three mean the opposite of mercy.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to mercy?
- Apity
- Bcruelty
- Cforgiveness
- Dkindness
Show the answer
B: cruelty. The other three mean nearly the same as mercy.
Words that mean something similar
kindness, pity, forgiveness
Words that mean the opposite
cruelty, harshness, ruthlessness
More words about behaviour & manners
- mingle: To mix with other people at a gathering.
- mischievous: Naughty in a playful way.
- mislead: To give someone a wrong idea on purpose.
- moral: Knowing and doing what is right, fair and honest.
- mutiny: A time when a group refuses to obey their leader and tries to take over.
- negligent: Not taking proper care of something you should look after.
- nonchalant: Looking calm and relaxed, as if you do not care at all.
- nuisance: Someone or something that annoys you or causes trouble.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test