Synonyms of take-no-prisoners

take-no-prisoners

adjective

ˈtāk-ˈnō-ˈpriz-(ə-)nərz 

as in ruthless

having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings

a theater critic with a take-no-prisoners approach to reviewing Broadway's latest offerings

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ruthless
• merciless
• hard
• stony
• brutal
• pitiless
• tough
• abusive
• slash-and-burn
• oppressive
• harsh
• stern
• vicious
• compassionless
• unmerciful
• remorseless
• unsparing
• malicious
• hateful
• heartless
• callous
• thick-skinned
• hard-boiled
• obdurate
• cold-blooded
• soulless
• cruel
• pachydermatous
• affectless
• inhuman
• unsympathetic
• inhumane
• hard-hearted
• insensitive
• unfeeling
• uncharitable
• grim
• savage
• stoney
• case-hardened
• insensate
• indurate
• severe
• rough-and-tumble
• desensitized
• boorish
• ironhearted
• rough
• heedless
• stonyhearted
• mean
• virulent
• thoughtless
• uncaring
• unfriendly
• spiteful
• unthinking
• malevolent
• hard-bitten
• ungentle
• acrimonious
• heavy-handed
• sledgehammer
• ironfisted
• brutish
• inconsiderate
• unloving
• disagreeable
• jackbooted
• knock-down-and-drag-out
• rancorous
• surly
• ironhanded
• bestial
• cold
• ill-tempered
• barbarous
• knock-down, drag-out
• ill-natured
• austere
• frosty
• evil-minded

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sympathetic
• sensitive
• warm
• compassionate
• charitable
• humane
• gentle
• merciful
• kind
• benevolent
• mild
• kindly
• tender
• lenient
• friendly
• softhearted
• warmhearted
• indulgent
• kindhearted
• gracious
• tenderhearted
• cordial
• loving
• tolerant
• good-natured
• benignant
• affectionate
• understanding
• clement
• good-tempered
• fond

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of take-no-prisoners

Depending on your perspective, of course, some of these use cases might not be unethical, but the tension between these survey answers encouraged me: far from being nihilistic, take-no-prisoners cheaters, my students seemed genuinely confused. —Piers Gelly july 28, Literary Hub, 28 July 2025

But Groff’s take-no-prisoners performance as nightclub superstar Bobby Darin is pure Broadway, and thoroughly – and more than justifiably – winning. —Greg Evans, Deadline, 6 June 2025

Harrison confidently adopts the take-no-prisoners physicality that makes Zephyr a worthy foe for Tucker, but her line readings are bland, doing nothing to enliven the basic script by Nick Lepard. —Esther Zuckerman, IndieWire, 17 May 2025

Elon Musk embodies it in all its brash, take-no-prisoners glory. —Leisse Wilcox, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025

And no one can remain beautiful, in the same way, forever, though Kilmer’s mischievous, take-no-prisoners smile hadn’t changed much. —Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 2 Apr. 2025

My mother is a take-no-prisoners kind of woman; in fact, all the women in my family are bulldozers. —Anna Lee Iijima, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025

Allen Iverson, another take-no-prisoners competitor, had 35 for the East. —Jerry McDonald, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2025

For Aladdin, Disney’s team built on the take-no-chances, take-no-prisoners lessons of its Broadway predecessors to all but guarantee a quality hit. —Vulture Editors, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2025