Showing clemency is an act of mercy or leniency, and the crossword solution for this term is 'LENIENT'. Leniency is a form of lenience, which is defined as the quality of being kind, tolerant, and forgiving. It is often used in legal contexts to refer to a judge or court's decision to be merciful and not impose the full penalty for an offense. In other contexts, it can refer to a person's willingness to forgive or overlook mistakes or offenses.