1
as in troublesome
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
2
as in pitying
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruthful
Adjective
-
That has never happened, even with Miami taking a fiscally responsible approach last offseason to help balance Miami’s troublesome books.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
26 Mar. 2026 -
Giant hogweed is particularly troublesome in Erie County, with more than 100 hogweed sites identified (the most in the state).—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The artwork is typically accompanied by text from Botto explaining its sometimes-poignant vision.—
Stephy Chung,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Paulina Dávila plays opposite Gael García Bernal in this poignant drama produced by Panorama Entertainment.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Indyke also helped secure a lenient work-release program for Epstein by vouching for his employment, allowing Epstein to leave the jail for up to 16 hours a day, ABC News reported in 2021.—
Peter Charalambous,
ABC News,
19 Mar. 2026
-
If held responsible for the murder, the minor, who is now 14, faces 8 months in a youth ranch program — a possible sentence that San Jose’s police chief and Santa Clara County’s district attorney also complain is too lenient.—
Julia Prodis Sulek,
Mercury News,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Violators could be ticketed similar to a non-moving violation for a driver.—
Jim Turner,
Sun Sentinel,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Each wrong turn is bittersweet, making the eventual reunion even more moving and meaningful.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Despite his impassive eyes, balding pate, and slit of a smile, Robert Duvall could be volcanic and melancholic, mysterious and straightforward, vengeful and merciful.—
Peter Tonguette,
The Washington Examiner,
27 Feb. 2026
-
In a way, this can seem merciful.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
With their large hands and expressive, doleful faces, the great apes are often depicted as the poster children for experimentation.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
-
His doleful father, portrayed by Paul Dooley in a magically right match of performer and material, despairs for his blithely romantic son’s future.—
Michael Phillips,
Chicago Tribune,
19 June 2025
Adjective
-
Those who have already made the landscaping switch to drought-tolerant plants will find this goal much easier.—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
26 Mar. 2026
-
Ted Rosenberg quit teaching geriatric medicine after 30 years because his employer, the University of British Columbia, was too tolerant.—
Jesse Brown,
The Atlantic,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In one of the most affecting stretches in the biography, Oppenheimer recounts how Rudy died prematurely of a heart attack less than a month before Blume’s wedding.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
18 Mar. 2026
-
Young actor Owen Cooper makes a brilliant Emmy-winning debut as Jamie, and the scenes between him and his therapist (Erin Doherty) in episode 3 are some of the most affecting examples of storytelling in recent history.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Mar. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Ruthful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruthful. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
