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
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
By its long winters and frozen lakes and by the quiet discipline of looking out for one another when the cold is unforgiving and the hardest moments require us to rely on each other.
—Marilyn Carlson Nelson, New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 2026
At that speed and conditions, the snow is unforgiving.
—Devon Henderson, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
Just know that Lake Superior is very unforgiving of mistakes; be careful out there.
—David Zeug, Outdoor Life, 4 Feb. 2026
At those deep-space distances, the communications delays can be unforgiving.
—Briana Alvarado, ABC News, 2 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unforgiving
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Marilyn Carlson Nelson, New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 2026
At that speed and conditions, the snow is unforgiving.
—Devon Henderson, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
Just know that Lake Superior is very unforgiving of mistakes; be careful out there.
—David Zeug, Outdoor Life, 4 Feb. 2026
At those deep-space distances, the communications delays can be unforgiving.
—Briana Alvarado, ABC News, 2 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unforgiving
Cite this Entry
“Unforgiving.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unforgiving. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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