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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."
Examples of ruthless in a Sentence
Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2025
Fantasy worlds like Oz and the Fae Land of Prythian were not exempt from the ruthless gaze of literal-minded Puritan descendants.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2025
Their methods—ruthless melodic math, brazenly artificial production, and an odd soft spot for reggae rhythms—helped define the world-conquering sound of Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 3 Oct. 2025
Only a sadist enjoys facing the ruthless Magic.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ruthless
Cite this Entry
“Ruthless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ruthless. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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