as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings
she is a merciless competitor at board games of any kind
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Recent Examples of merciless
With no escape, the young band members (played by Anton Yelchin, Alia Shawkat, Joe Cole, and Callum Turner) are forced into a vicious fight for survival against merciless extremists, led by Patrick Stewart's sinister Darcy Banker.
—
Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Dec. 2025
Their relationship evolves from one technical competition into a soulful, brotherly alliance that serves as an act of defiance against a merciless system.
—Robert Lang, Deadline, 30 Dec. 2025
The press was merciless for what seemed like forever.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 20 Dec. 2025
Led by Varang, the Ash People are brutal and merciless, burning human ships and killing survivors without hesitation.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for merciless
Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Dec. 2025
Their relationship evolves from one technical competition into a soulful, brotherly alliance that serves as an act of defiance against a merciless system.
—Robert Lang, Deadline, 30 Dec. 2025
The press was merciless for what seemed like forever.
—Virginia Chamlee, PEOPLE, 20 Dec. 2025
Led by Varang, the Ash People are brutal and merciless, burning human ships and killing survivors without hesitation.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 19 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for merciless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for merciless
Adjective
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The Bills are ruthless in the red zone, and don’t have much need for either a kicker or punter, but Prater and Mitch Wishnowsky have both had solid seasons.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
15 Jan. 2026
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Our federally dependent market must endure three more years of a ruthless and petty federal administration with a national mandate to cut spending.—
Torrey Snow,
Baltimore Sun,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Without prosecutors empowered to bring charges against wrongdoers, judges willing to strike down overreach, legislators daring enough to demand investigations and change laws, and citizens outraged enough to protest, any revelations by journalists will fall on stony ground.—
Susan Chira,
Foreign Affairs,
2 Dec. 2025
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After that historic journey, NASA charted a new course toward Apophis, a stony metal-rich NEA that offers a sharp scientific contrast to Bennu's carbon-rich composition (and was once thought to pose a serious impact risk to Earth).—
Samantha Mathewson,
Space.com,
28 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Merciless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/merciless. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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