ˈklɛ.mən.si ˈklɛ.mən.si ˈmɜːsi ˈmɝsi leniency and compassion shown toward offenders by a person or agency charged with administering justice he threw himself on the mercy of the court alleviation of distress; showing great kindness toward the distressed distributing food and clothing to the flood victims was an act of mercy a disposition to be kind and forgiving in those days a wife had to depend on the mercifulness of her husband the feeling that motivates compassion something for which to be thankful it was a mercy we got out alive