1
as in troublesome
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2
as in pitying
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruthful
Adjective
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That can be especially troublesome for travelers prone to getting seasick.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
19 Feb. 2026 -
But not being able to match a 3-pointer consistently could prove troublesome.—
Zach Harper,
New York Times,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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They had been estranged from each other, but the loss was still poignant and painful for Alvarez, particularly when the time came for her daughter to leave for college.—
Autumn Barnes,
NPR,
19 Feb. 2026
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The poignant image is juxtaposed with flashbacks of them as children lying sweetly next to one another.—
Natasha O'Neill,
Vanity Fair,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Family members of the deceased said the agreements were too lenient.—
Jesse Bedayn,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
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The sentence Desouza received is substantially lighter than the eight years sought by prosecutors and also much more lenient than the sentences in other local cases of neonaticide, which refers to the crime of killing a baby less than 24 hours after it is born.—
Shira Moolten,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Among the more moving cases that Blair describes are those of people who in life were vulnerable and powerless but in death were considered formidable threats.—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
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The offense is considered a non-moving violation with no license points, though vehicles can be towed in some cases.—
Evan Moore,
Charlotte Observer,
31 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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These changes would ensure a more merciful society, one that pardons in the name not of a sovereign president, but of the people.—
Bernadette Meyler,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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Although Ake wants to be merciful, Anisha aided a crime that resulted in the death of a Federation officer.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
16 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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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
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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
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SunPatiens are the most sun-tolerant and wilt-resistant of all.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
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Sun-tolerant coleus in patio pots.—
Neil Sperry,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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One of the most affecting displays is a wall lined with hundreds of jars of soil excavated from sites of lynchings across the country.—
Clint Smith,
The Atlantic,
19 Jan. 2026
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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.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
2 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Ruthful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruthful. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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