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If someone can be ruthless, can one also be ruthful?
Ruthless can be defined as "without ruth" or "having no ruth." So what, then, is ruth? The noun ruth, which is now considerably less common than ruthless, means "compassion for the misery of another," "sorrow for one's own faults," or "remorse." And, just as it is possible for one to be without ruth, it is also possible to be full of ruth. The antonym of ruthless is ruthful, meaning "full of ruth" or "tender." Ruthful can also mean "full of sorrow" or "causing sorrow." Ruth can be traced back to the Middle English noun ruthe, itself from ruen, meaning "to rue" or "to feel regret, remorse, or sorrow."
Synonyms of ruthless
Examples of ruthless in a Sentence
Patrick Sung Cuadrado,
CNN Money,
21 June 2026
Nolan faces the challenge of creating a hero for the multiplexes who is ruthless and at times cruel.
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David Denby,
New Yorker,
21 June 2026
With such an inexperienced side on show, England looked disorganised and devoid of ideas as they were put to the sword by ruthless, relentless opponents.
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Hector Vickers,
New York Times,
21 June 2026
Noah Thomas’s life takes a dangerous turn when a chance reunion with an old high school friend, Parker Coleman, entangles him in a ruthless crime ring.
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Jon Stojan,
Variety,
18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ruthless
Cite this Entry
“Ruthless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ruthless. Accessed 28 Jun. 2026.
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