as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings
she is a merciless competitor at board games of any kind
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Recent Examples of merciless
Their relationship evolves from one technical competition into a soulful, brotherly alliance that serves as an act of defiance against a merciless system.
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Robert Lang, Deadline, 30 Dec. 2025
The press was merciless for what seemed like forever.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 20 Dec. 2025
Led by Varang, the Ash People are brutal and merciless, burning human ships and killing survivors without hesitation.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 19 Dec. 2025
My tongue could be sharp and merciless, but never with Samy.
—Literary Hub, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for merciless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for merciless
Adjective
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But he's drawn into a deadly Colombian drama involving a new ruthless arms dealer posing as a humanitarian, Teddy Dos Santos (Diego Calva), and Roxana (Camila Morrone), an American businesswoman.—
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As Iranians know well from 1979, ruthless contests tend to define revolutions.—
Adjective
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Without prosecutors empowered to bring charges against wrongdoers, judges willing to strike down overreach, legislators daring enough to demand investigations and change laws, and citizens outraged enough to protest, any revelations by journalists will fall on stony ground.—
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After that historic journey, NASA charted a new course toward Apophis, a stony metal-rich NEA that offers a sharp scientific contrast to Bennu's carbon-rich composition (and was once thought to pose a serious impact risk to Earth).—
Cite this Entry
“Merciless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/merciless. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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