at the mercy of
Subject to whims
Completely subject to someone's power or whims, with no ability to resist or protect oneself.
The phrase implies vulnerability and dependence on another's goodwill: The sailors were at the mercy of the storm, Small businesses are at the mercy of rising interest rates.
Often suggests the controlling party may not be merciful at all.
- relianceState of needing support
- weaknessDeficiency in force
- helplessnessLacking ability to cope
- powerlessnessInability to affect outcomes
- dominationSupreme authority held
subjugation · held hostage · resignation · dependence · susceptibility · beholden · exploitation · incapacity · coercion · caprice · exposure · on thin ice · whim · manipulation · victimhood · sitting duck · disempowerment · oppression
- Hierarchy termspecking order, junior, chain of command, secondary, totem pole
at the mercy ofin charge of
calling the shots · in the driver's seat · at the helm · autonomous · self-determining
at the mercy ofautonomous
Self-directed and free
self-reliant · self-sufficient · sovereign · self-governing · free-standing
mercy, merciful, mercifully, unmerciful, unmercifully, merciless, mercilessly, mercies