unforgiving

adjective

un·​for·​giv·​ing ˌən-fər-ˈgi-viŋ 

1

: unwilling or unable to forgive

2

: having or making no allowance for error or weakness

… an unforgiving environment where false moves can prove fatal.

—Jaclyn Fierman

unforgivingness noun

Examples of unforgiving in a Sentence

They are unforgiving of the smallest mistake.

the unforgiving world of politics

Recent Examples on the Web

Facing the unforgiving launch deadline forced by DESTINY+’s mission profile, the Ramses mission’s scientists began working on it before actually securing full funding from ESA, said Paolo Martino, the mission’s project manager, at the June workshop. — Andrew Jones, Scientific American, 30 July 2026

The animal kingdom is brutal—and thanks to modern technology, us humans often have a front-row seat to its unforgiving nature. — Annie Colbert, Popular Science, 29 July 2026

Just not good at this specific, high-stakes, unforgiving discipline called selling a business. — Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Three firefighters were injured by unforgiving terrain while battling a wildfire in the San Bernardino Mountains on Monday, officials said. — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1713, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for unforgiving

• almsgiving
• caregiving
• forgiving
• misgiving
• nonliving
• reliving
• thanksgiving
• giving
• living
• sieving