a. | 1. | Full of mercy; having or exercising mercy; disposed to pity and spare offenders; unwilling to punish. Opposite of |
2. | Unwilling to give pain; compassionate. |
Adj. | 1. | merciful - showing or giving mercy; "sought merciful treatment for the captives"; "a merciful god" Antonyms: merciless, unmerciful - having or showing no mercy; "the merciless enemy"; "a merciless critic"; "gave him a merciless beating" |
2. | merciful - characterized by mercy, and compassion; "compassionate toward disadvantaged people"; "kind to animals"; "a humane judge" Synonyms: kind | |
3. | merciful - used conventionally of royalty and high nobility; "our merciful king" |