relentless

adjective

re·​lent·​less ri-ˈlent-ləs 

: showing or promising no abatement of severity, intensity, strength, or pace : unrelenting

relentless pressure

a relentless campaign

relentlessly adverb

relentlessness noun

Synonyms of relentless

• grim
• determined
• persistent
• unrelenting
• ruthless

Examples of relentless in a Sentence

Her relentless optimism held the team together.

The hunter was relentless in pursuit of his prey.

a relentless opponent of deregulation

Recent Examples on the Web

The gross margin outlook was a bit lower than expected, with Kress attributing the crunch to the relentless rise in memory prices, both for the remainder of this fiscal year and for fiscal 2028. — Zev Fima, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026

Fans, artists, and leaders across all industries are mourning the star whose relentless optimism, grace, and resilience was a shining light. — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 26 Aug. 2026

Trautwein, a two-time national champion at Florida, demands relentless work ethic and attention to detail. — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026

The Packers had a similar approach last week, and teams figure to explore various ways once the regular season begins to mitigate Denver’s relentless pass rush. — Nick Kosmider, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1592, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

relentless

adjective

re·​lent·​less ri-ˈlent-ləs 

: not lessening in severity, intensity, strength, or pace : unrelenting

relentless criticism

relentlessly adverb

relentlessness noun