have mercy

verb
UK: /ˌhæv ˈmɜːsi/
US: /ˌhæv ˈmɜːrsi/

  1. To show compassion or forgiveness to someone.

    1. Please have mercy, I didn't mean to do it.
    2. The judge decided to have mercy on the young offender and gave him a lighter sentence.

Synonyms

pity forgiveness leniency compassion
have mercy interjection

  1. An exclamation expressing a plea for compassion or forgiveness; also used to express surprise, shock, or dismay.

    1. Have mercy! I can't believe what happened.
    2. "Have mercy!" she cried, witnessing the devastation caused by the storm.
have mercy idiom

  1. A phrase indicating a request for leniency or a plea for a more favorable outcome.

    1. I hope they have mercy on me during the test.
    2. Let's hope the bank will have mercy and lower the interest rate on our loan.
have mercy idiom

  1. To be at the mercy of someone or something means to be in a situation where they have complete power to harm you.

    1. We were at the mercy of the storm all night.
    2. The small boat was at the have mercy of the waves during the hurricane.

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "have mercy" is /ˌhæv ˈmɜːsi/ in British English and /ˌhæv ˈmɜːrsi/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "have mercy": pity, forgiveness, leniency, compassion.

Example usage of "have mercy": "Please have mercy, I didn't mean to do it.". More examples on the page.