'Merciful' definitions:

Definition of 'merciful'

From: WordNet
adjective
Showing or giving mercy; "sought merciful treatment for the captives"; "a merciful god" [ant: merciless, unmerciful]
adjective
(used conventionally of royalty and high nobility) gracious; "our merciful king"

Definition of 'Merciful'

From: GCIDE
  • Merciful \Mer"ci*ful\, a. [Mercy + -ful.]
  • 1. Full of mercy; having or exercising mercy; disposed to pity and spare offenders; unwilling to punish. Opposite of merciless. [1913 Webster]
  • The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious. --Ex. xxxiv. 6. [1913 Webster]
  • Be merciful, great duke, to men of mold. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • 2. Unwilling to give pain; compassionate. [1913 Webster]
  • A merciful man will be merciful to his beast. --Old Proverb. [1913 Webster]
  • Syn: Compassionate; tender; humane; gracious; kind; mild; clement; benignant. [1913 Webster] -- {Mer"ci*ful*ly}, adv. -- {Mer"ci*ful*ness}, n. [1913 Webster]