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merciful JUST WRITTEN FOR YOU

/ˈmɜːsɪfl̩/ · mer·ci·ful
adjective
  1. Showing or exercising mercy; compassionate toward those in distress. The judge was merciful, reducing the sentence for the first‑time offender.
  2. Inclined to be lenient or forgiving; not harsh or severe. She gave a merciful smile to the child who had broken the vase.
Did you know? The word appears famously in the King James Bible (e.g., “the merciful shall inherit the earth”), cementing its moral connotation in English literature.
Written by Lexi Wordsworth, Dictionary Editor 0 lookups Added Jul 16, 2026