at the mercy of

phrase

: wholly in the power of : with no way to protect oneself against
We were at the mercy of the weather.

Examples of at the mercy of in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But many agreements need to be ratified in each country, leaving them at the mercy of domestic lobbies, from farmers to automakers, which seek to protect their markets at the expense of the continent’s collective interest. — Claas Mertens, Foreign Affairs, 19 Oct. 2026 An explosion in borrowing costs would signal that France is at the mercy of the bond market, which has started pricing in growing odds of a debt default. — Jason Ma, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026 No state, after all, wants its defensive systems to be at the mercy of unpredictable actors. — Gerard Toal, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026 Under the current SafeSport format, parents remain at the mercy of those same NGBs when seeking to determine if the individual coaching their child or playing next to them has a history of abuse. — Scott M. Reid, Oc Register, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for at the mercy of

Word History

First Known Use

1594, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of at the mercy of was in 1594

Rhymes for at the mercy of

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Browse Nearby Words

at the longest
at the mercy of
at the moment
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“At the mercy of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/at%20the%20mercy%20of. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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