as in murder
the act of ending the life of someone who is very sick or injured in order to prevent any further suffering
Some called her death a mercy killing.
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Recent Examples of mercy killing
Kelson teaches Spike how to grow beyond his parents, giving Isla a mercy killing and allowing Spike to place her skull on the top of the structure.
—
Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
While this was a funeral rite for some in the Roman period, the researchers think the man was decapitated as a mercy killing after the lion bite.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2025
If the mercy killing wasn’t a big enough of a twist, the introduction of three outsiders who stumble upon the girls’ cannibalistic feast will do it.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 17 Mar. 2025
More secrets emerge, Chappelle says there’s no time to explain, even mercy killing the dog.
—Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 19 Jan. 2025
Consider this review a mercy killing.
—The New York Times, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
DJ Anne Harris is largely focused on mercy killing her relationship with Siobhan for Siobhan’s own good.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 23 May 2021
The woman later gave mixed signals about her desire to die, but the doctor, in close consultation with the woman’s family, decided to go ahead with the mercy killing.
—Mike Corder, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Sep. 2019
The doctor carried out the mercy killing with her family’s consent and support.
—Washington Post, 11 Sep. 2019
Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
While this was a funeral rite for some in the Roman period, the researchers think the man was decapitated as a mercy killing after the lion bite.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2025
If the mercy killing wasn’t a big enough of a twist, the introduction of three outsiders who stumble upon the girls’ cannibalistic feast will do it.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 17 Mar. 2025
More secrets emerge, Chappelle says there’s no time to explain, even mercy killing the dog.
—Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 19 Jan. 2025
Consider this review a mercy killing.
—The New York Times, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2025
DJ Anne Harris is largely focused on mercy killing her relationship with Siobhan for Siobhan’s own good.
—Keith Phipps, Vulture, 23 May 2021
The woman later gave mixed signals about her desire to die, but the doctor, in close consultation with the woman’s family, decided to go ahead with the mercy killing.
—Mike Corder, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Sep. 2019
The doctor carried out the mercy killing with her family’s consent and support.
—Washington Post, 11 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mercy killing
Noun
-
Three people were killed in a murder-suicide shooting near a middle school in Illinois on Tuesday.—
Jordan King,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Sep. 2025
-
McDonald, portrayed as the main attacker, was convicted of murder, but later released because of health issues.—
Tony Saavedra,
Oc Register,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The girls died as a result of homicide from suffocation, a preliminary report from a medical examiner stated.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
19 Sep. 2025
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An autopsy determined the girls' cause of death to be suffocation and the manner of death is homicide, the Chelan County Sheriff's Office said on June 9.—
Meredith Deliso,
ABC News,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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However, instead of caving to the demands of the USFF's powers-that-be, Cam refuses to sacrifice his soul by signing the contract and proceeds to unleash his strength on everyone involved in the demonic proceedings in an ultra-violent massacre.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
19 Sep. 2025
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Anonymous tips forward to the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center reported threatening posts from a Discord profile that referenced plans for a future massacre and contained pictures of guns.—
Mia Cathell,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In other countries, assisted suicide is a much more common cause of death.—
Sally Pipes,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
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Other countries that have legalized assisted suicide include Australia, Belgium, Canada and parts of the United States, with regulations on who is eligible varying by jurisdiction.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mercy killing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mercy%20killing. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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