ruthful

adjective

Definition of ruthfulnext
1
as in troublesome

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2
as in pitying

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruthful
  1. troublesome
  2. lenient
  3. poignant
  4. merciful
  5. moving
  6. tolerant
  7. doleful
  8. congenial
Adjective
  • That if you were deemed, as an enslaved person, if you were deemed troublesome or in some way unwanted, you would literally be sold down the river from the more northern states to the deeper south where you would potentially be treated even worse.
    — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Right as that Cup window should theoretically be opening, Nurse’s deal could be troublesome.
    — Corey Pronman, New York Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of troublesome
Adjective
  • There was a credible argument for being more lenient, but also one for dismissing the striker.
    — Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • One of the features of this World Cup has been the desire of FIFA officials, under the direction of former World Cup final referee Pierluigi Collina, to be lenient in games and allow matches to flow without excessive disruption.
    — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of lenient
Adjective
  • Matt Haig blends the poignant drama of a Douglas Sirk movie with speculative twists straight out of Dickens.
    — Hamilton Cain, Time, 7 July 2026
  • Buteau reflected on filming one of the series' most poignant storylines, which centers on infertility.
    — Charlie Carballo, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Definition of poignant
Adjective
  • Just when a dreadful day was approaching a merciful end, the chants from the remaining crowd at Citi Field poked fun at the New York Mets’ mess in a way boos cannot match with ridicule.
    — Will Sammon, New York Times, 25 June 2026
  • That painful night in Dallas now feels merciful, compared with what this Avs team just experienced.
    — Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 27 May 2026
Definition of merciful
Adjective
  • To discover that the notes corresponded to where there was more human activity was really very moving.
    — Y-Jean Mun-Delsalle, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
  • The report conducted by the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California analyzed 2023-24 traffic stop data and found that Sacramento police disproportionately stopped Black drivers, often for minor vehicle equipment or non-moving violations.
    — Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 17 June 2026
Definition of moving
Adjective
  • Healthier lawns can be achieved by watering less often, improving soil, and choosing drought-tolerant grass types.
    — Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 5 July 2026
  • Refresh potting soil annually, add mulch to retain moisture, and consider drought-tolerant plants.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 July 2026
Definition of tolerant
Adjective
  • Measles is the canary in the coal mine for vaccination and public health, and at this moment, the canary is singing a doleful tune.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • But if the film occasionally threatens to float away into its own inaccessible realm, Camp’s witty, doleful performance grounds it with a human dimension, albeit not a terribly warm one.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 19 June 2026
Definition of doleful
Adjective
  • Meaning, connecting deeply with the audience to the point of a congenial fracture of time and space.
    — Jonathan Cohen, SPIN, 1 July 2026
  • Even when his final Kings season collapsed around him, Hiller maintained a professional, even congenial, relationship with media members, and that can serve him well in the cauldron that is Toronto.
    — Eric Stephens, New York Times, 17 June 2026
Definition of congenial
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.

Browse Nearby Words

ruth
ruthful
ruthless
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Cite this Entry

“Ruthful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruthful. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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