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unmerciful

unmerciful

2 7.1
Being very cruel and not kind to others
  • adjective
  • /ʌnˈmɜːrsɪfəl/
translation icon : inexorable
  • What you don't know is that to his family, he was an unmerciful tyrant.
  • honest and unmerciful

Examples

  • Listen, my advice to you, and I know you think these guys are your friends, if you want to be a true friend to them, be honest and unmerciful.

  • Be honest and unmerciful.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • You have to make your reputation on being honest, and unmerciful.

  • And you should build your reputation on being honest... and unmerciful.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • Let the unmerciful continue to search for meaning in their anger.

    Blog text (12)
  • Are you honest and unmerciful, or do you hold your tongue to protect your screenwriter interests?

    Blog text (25)
  • The same theme is found in Matthew's Parable of the Unmerciful Servant.

    Academic text (2003)
  • Yep folks, the 80s were unmerciful to heterosexual teenage boys.

    Blog text (9)
  • The movement may bear the name of one brave woman, but it also embodies the tears and fears of those who have experienced breast cancer's unmerciful grip.

    Blog text (6)
  • The unmerciful criticism from the judges made her doubt her performance.

Synonyms

mean
vsunmerciful
699 2.2

Unkind and cruel toward other people

is more severe, indicating deliberate merciless cruelty rather than simple unkindness
cruel
vsunmerciful
522 2.7

Willing to cause pain or suffering to others

is like this but stresses a harsher, merciless attitude
harsh
vsunmerciful
289 2.8

Unkind and too strict in what someone says or does to others

is harsher, conveying no mercy rather than general severity
brutal
vsunmerciful
  • NSFW
229 4.8

Very cruel and violent, causing pain or suffering

covers cruelty but leans more toward extreme harshness overall
ruthless
vsunmerciful
152 4.9

Not feeling sorry for others and hurting them on purpose

shares lack of pity but focuses more on extreme harshness
unkind
vsunmerciful
44 1.0

Not friendly or caring to other people

is stronger, showing active cruelty and no mercy rather than mere unfriendliness
inhumane
vsunmerciful
  • NSFW
37 5.9

Very cruel and causing pain to people or animals

shares brutality but emphasizes merciless severity rather than brutality alone
unforgiving
vsunmerciful
35 5.8

Not willing to forgive someone and acting without mercy

overlaps in harshness but stresses merciless action rather than refusal to forgive
merciless
vsunmerciful
33 5.3

Showing no pity and treating people in a cruel way

means the same but stresses great harshness and lack of compassion
pitiless
vsunmerciful
7 7.0

Not showing any pity or kindness

expresses the same absence of pity with added emphasis on cruelty
remorseless
vsunmerciful
6 7.5

Not feeling sorry and continuing without stopping when hurting others

covers the same merciless stance but highlights severe harshness
uncharitable
vsunmerciful
5 6.7

Not kind or generous and quick to judge others harshly

is more severe, implying total lack of mercy rather than judgmental tone
unsparing
vsunmerciful
2 7.9

Very harsh and not forgiving when criticizing or acting

is similar but focuses more on complete absence of mercy
uncompassionate
vsunmerciful
1 7.3

Not caring when other people suffer

adds a stronger sense of harsh cruelty beyond mere lack of sympathy
compassionless
vsunmerciful
1 7.4

Shows no sympathy for people who suffer

is similar but conveys active harshness and cruelty rather than coldness alone
unpitying
vsunmerciful
8.8

Not showing kindness or mercy when others suffer

is similar but places more weight on cruelty and severity
meanspirited
vsunmerciful
  • Offensive
7.4

Unkind and petty in a way that hurts other people

is harsher, implying full absence of mercy rather than pettiness

Antonyms

54 3.3

Kind and willing to forgive someone who is suffering or has done wrong

How Merciful

merciful
54 3.3
lenient
32 4.4
harsh
289 2.8
unmerciful
2 7.1
ruthless
152 4.9

Surface Forms

unmerciful positive
unmercifuler comparative
unmercifulest superlative

Morphology

unmerciful = merciful (transparent) = un + merciful

The adjective 'unmerciful' is a regular negation of 'merciful' (un- + merciful), so its meaning is directly derived.

Etymology

Unmerciful breaks into un- meaning 'not' and merciful from mercy meaning 'kindness or forgiveness'. So, unmerciful means 'not showing mercy', which is why it describes someone harsh or cruel.