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
  • What has stood out is the frequency of mass killings, even as murders overall fall.
    — Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The implication is that farm murders are the country’s defining crime.
    — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of murders
Noun
  • In July 2024, the county Department of Public Health’s Office of Violence Prevention issued a report with more than a dozen recommendations for reducing domestic violence homicides by improving access to restraining orders.
    — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • At this time last year, Kansas City had recorded 120 homicides.
    — Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of homicides
Noun
  • The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, while posturing as the guardian of a democratic transition, governed through massacres and military tribunals.
    — Abdelrahman ElGendy, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Two of the massacres happened in the space of a few hours late Saturday night and in the predawn hours of Sunday.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 27 Sep. 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 9 Oct. 2026.

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