mercy killings

noun

plural of mercy killing
as in murders
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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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mercy killings
  1. murders
  2. homicides
  3. massacres
Noun
  • Set against the 1970s American Southwest, Navajo Tribal Police officer Joe Leaphorn (Zahn McClarnon) sets out to uncover the truth behind a wave of mysterious murders on the reservation.
    — Emily Weaver, PEOPLE, 5 July 2026
  • Schaffer said Reiner shaved his trademark beard for the sketch, which filmed on November 13, just a month before Rob and Michele were killed inside their home; their son Nick was arrested and charged with the murders.
    — Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 4 July 2026
Definition of murders
Noun
  • The number of homicides in Sacramento County in 2025 fell to the lowest level in decades, according to Sacramento County sheriff’s officials.
    — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 1 July 2026
  • According to the report, the city has recorded 50 homicides so far this year.
    — CBS Baltimore Staff, CBS News, 1 July 2026
Definition of homicides
Noun
  • The issue has been particularly salient for low-income families living near fields of coca, the shrub used to make cocaine, as human rights organizations documented more than 50 massacres in Colombia just this year.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 29 June 2026
  • The massacres, which resulted in the deaths of roughly 100,000 Polish civilians, are officially classified as a genocide by Warsaw, a characterization Kyiv denies.
    — Lidia Kurasinska, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
Definition of massacres
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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mercy killing
mercy killings
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Cite this Entry

“Mercy killings.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mercy%20killings. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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