mercies

Meanings

1. 1nounplural

   Acts of kindness or forgiveness shown to someone, especially by a person with power over them.

   Grammar: Plural of "mercy"; used with a plural verb: their mercies were few.

   Patterns

   • the mercies of someone
   • show mercies to someone

   The prisoners depended on the mercies of their guards.

   She thanked her colleagues for the small mercies they had shown her during a hard year.

   In the old story, the king's mercies were as unpredictable as his anger.

2. 2nounpluralinformal

   Good things that make a bad situation slightly easier to bear, as in the phrase "small mercies."

   Grammar: Almost always in the fixed phrase "small mercies"; the verb agrees with the plural noun.

   Patterns

   • small mercies
   • be grateful for small mercies

   The train was late, but at least it was not cancelled — small mercies.

   We should be grateful for small mercies: the rain stopped before the picnic.

   It is one of life's small mercies that the meeting ended early.

Word forms

Common combinations

small mercies

At least the power came back on — small mercies.

be grateful for small mercies

We were grateful for small mercies when the bus finally arrived.

the mercies of someone

The villagers were left at the mercies of the invaders.

thankful for small mercies

After the storm, everyone was thankful for small mercies.

Synonyms and how they differ

kindnesses

This is the everyday word; "mercies" sounds more literary or religious.

blessings

Use this for good things you feel thankful for, often with a religious tone.

favors

This means helpful acts, usually between equals, not acts of power over someone.

Opposites

Word family

mercy noun

The singular form: kindness or forgiveness shown to someone.

merciful adjective

Showing mercy; kind and forgiving.

mercifully adverb

In a merciful way, or as a welcome relief.

merciless adjective

Showing no mercy at all; cruel and unrelenting.

Commonly confused: mercies or mercy?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “mercies”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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