Meanings
nounmercy killing (plural mercy killings)
plural mercy killings · alternative mercy-killing
- hobbiesIn sports, a premature ending of a one-sided game or contest due to a mercy rule.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounthe act of killing someone painlessly (especially someone suffering from an incurable illness)
Similar
Broader
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Cite this entry
APA
mercy killing. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mercy%20killing
MLA
“mercy killing.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mercy%20killing. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “mercy killing,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/mercy%20killing.
Source: mercy killing on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.