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merciless

merciless

33 5.3
Showing no pity and treating people in a cruel way
  • adjective
  • /ˈmɜrsləs/
translation icon : despiadado
  • The teacher gave a merciless critique of the student's essay, pointing out every flaw.

So you're somebody that's, you know, accused of being a merciless killer.

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Examples

  • And when you write online, people are merciless about the feedback they give you.

  • Seven straight days of cursing, merciless rain, and then a miracle.

    Academic text (2007)
  • But a merciless God tore my only love from me.

  • I have an appointment to visit her on Thursday... and this time I shall be merciless.

  • If there is any nonsense of any sort, I will be merciless.

  • When they finally gain control of the street, their retaliation on some local residents is merciless.

  • She went through a merciless series of treatments.

  • They are a merciless threat to your very existence and your traditions.

  • Their neighbors regard them as arrogant or crazy and subject them to merciless ridicule.

    Academic text (1995)
  • The Baatsik are merciless and are associated with all that is considered vile, immoral, and unchristian.

    Academic text (2008)

Synonyms

cruel
vsmerciless
522 2.7

Willing to cause pain or suffering to others

focuses on absence of compassion or forgiveness rather than deliberate harm
ruthless
vsmerciless
152 4.9

Not feeling sorry for others and hurting them on purpose

is about not showing compassion or forgiveness rather than goal focus
callous
vsmerciless
41 7.3

Not caring about other people's feelings or pain

targets lack of mercy or forgiveness rather than general emotional numbness
unforgiving
vsmerciless
35 5.8

Not willing to forgive someone and acting without mercy

is about lacking compassion generally rather than active refusal to forgive
pitiless
vsmerciless
7 7.0

Not showing any pity or kindness

highlights lack of compassion or forgiveness rather than emotional coldness
remorseless
vsmerciless
6 7.5

Not feeling sorry and continuing without stopping when hurting others

describes absence of compassion or forgiveness without stressing relent
unmerciful
vsmerciless
2 7.1

Being very cruel and not kind to others

focuses more on lack of compassion or willingness to forgive
unsparing
vsmerciless
2 7.9

Very harsh and not forgiving when criticizing or acting

means lack of mercy more broadly rather than targeted harshness
uncompassionate
vsmerciless
1 7.3

Not caring when other people suffer

emphasizes not forgiving or mercying rather than just lacking sympathy
roughshod
vsmerciless
1 8.9

Acting in a harsh way that ignores other people's feelings

is about lacking mercy or forgiveness rather than domineering style
compassionless
vsmerciless
1 7.4

Shows no sympathy for people who suffer

is focused on absence of mercy or willingness to forgive
unpitying
vsmerciless
8.8

Not showing kindness or mercy when others suffer

is similar but centers on missing compassion or forgiveness
meanspirited
vsmerciless
  • Offensive
7.4

Unkind and petty in a way that hurts other people

is broader, stressing total absence of mercy or compassion

Antonyms

151 3.7

Feeling concern and care for people who suffer

54 3.3

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

How Merciless

inhuman
30 6.0
merciless
33 5.3
brutal
  • NSFW
229 4.8
ruthless
152 4.9
unforgiving
35 5.8
harsh
289 2.8

Surface Forms

merciless positive
mercilesser comparative
mercilessest superlative

Morphology

merciless = mercy (transparent) = mercy + less

Productive, regular formation: 'mercy' + '-less' = 'without mercy'; orthographic y->i change is predictable.

Etymology

Merciless comes from mercy ('pity' or 'kindness') plus the ending -less ('without'), so merciless literally means 'without mercy' and is used for someone or something that shows no forgiveness or pity.