What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Obligation vs Mercy - What's the difference?

obligation | mercy |

As a noun obligation

is the act of binding oneself by a social, legal, or moral tie to someone.

As a proper noun mercy is

, one of the less common puritan virtue names.

obligation

Noun

(en noun)
  • The act of binding oneself by a social, legal, or moral tie to someone.
  • A social, legal, or moral requirement, duty, contract, or promise that compels someone to follow or avoid a particular course of action.
  • A course of action imposed by society, law, or conscience by which someone is bound or restricted.
  • (legal) A legal agreement stipulating a specified payment or action; the document containing such agreement.
  • X shall be entitled to subcontract its obligation to provide the Support Services. <>
  • * 1668 December 19, , “Mr.'' Alexander Seaton ''contra'' Menzies” in ''The Deci?ions of the Lords of Council & Se??ion I (Edinburgh, 1683), page 575
  • The Pupil after his Pupillarity, had granted a Di?charge to one of the Co-tutors, which did extingui?h the whole Debt of that Co-tutor, and con?equently of all the re?t, they being all correi debendi , lyable by one individual Obligation , which cannot be Di?charged as to one, and ?tand as to all the re?t.

    Usage notes

    * Adjectives often used with "obligation": moral, legal, social, contractual, political, mutual, military, perpetual, etc.

    Synonyms

    * duty

    Antonyms

    * right

    mercy

    English

    (wikipedia mercy)

    Noun

  • (uncountable) relenting; forbearance to cause or allow harm to another
  • (uncountable) forgiveness or compassion, especially toward those less fortunate.
  • (uncountable) A tendency toward forgiveness, pity, or compassion
  • (countable) Instances of forbearance or forgiveness.
  • A blessing, something to be thankful for.
  • (phrasal) Subjugation, power.
  • *
  • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=1 , passage=The stories did not seem to me to touch life. […] They left me with the impression of a well-delivered stereopticon lecture, with characters about as life-like as the shadows on the screen, and whisking on and off, at the mercy of the operator.}}