1
as in excessive
going beyond a normal or acceptable limit in degree or amount
she went into an unmerciful level of detail about her latest health problems
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2
as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings
the critics were unmerciful in their assessments of the young actress's performance
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Recent Examples of unmerciful
The drought is a source of mockery towards RCB, with opposition fans unmerciful in their scorn towards them and particularly Kohli.
—
Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
Yet viewers admire Oz’s aptitude to survive, his unmerciful resolve.
—Jason Parham, WIRED, 26 Dec. 2024
His take on Prince Philip is both humanizing and unmerciful, cutting to the bone of a man portrayed in contradictory terms — petulant yet statesmanlike, intensely ambitious yet ineffectual, relatable one minute and contemptible the next.
—Will Harris, EW.com, 30 July 2024
The temperature climbed as more gas pushed and compressed itself into the small space, and the heat became unmerciful, exacerbated by the syrupy sensation of the increasingly dense atmosphere.
—Rachel Lance, WIRED, 16 Apr. 2024
In Nazi ideology, descent was destiny—inescapable, unmerciful, and total.
—Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 20 July 2023
What hit viewers, then and now, with the strength of an unmerciful iceberg is how entirely uncynical this movie is.
—Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 15 Dec. 2022
How have Willis and Kastor excelled for 20 years and more in that unmerciful context?
—Roger Robinson, Outside Online, 18 Feb. 2021
Trying to end an unmerciful beating, Astudillo haplessly threw three pitches to Mercedes that were all called balls (and that averaged about 45 mph).
—Scott Jennings, CNN, 20 May 2021
Tristan Lavalette, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
Yet viewers admire Oz’s aptitude to survive, his unmerciful resolve.
—Jason Parham, WIRED, 26 Dec. 2024
His take on Prince Philip is both humanizing and unmerciful, cutting to the bone of a man portrayed in contradictory terms — petulant yet statesmanlike, intensely ambitious yet ineffectual, relatable one minute and contemptible the next.
—Will Harris, EW.com, 30 July 2024
The temperature climbed as more gas pushed and compressed itself into the small space, and the heat became unmerciful, exacerbated by the syrupy sensation of the increasingly dense atmosphere.
—Rachel Lance, WIRED, 16 Apr. 2024
In Nazi ideology, descent was destiny—inescapable, unmerciful, and total.
—Fintan O’Toole, The New York Review of Books, 20 July 2023
What hit viewers, then and now, with the strength of an unmerciful iceberg is how entirely uncynical this movie is.
—Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 15 Dec. 2022
How have Willis and Kastor excelled for 20 years and more in that unmerciful context?
—Roger Robinson, Outside Online, 18 Feb. 2021
Trying to end an unmerciful beating, Astudillo haplessly threw three pitches to Mercedes that were all called balls (and that averaged about 45 mph).
—Scott Jennings, CNN, 20 May 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unmerciful
Adjective
-
Haley was found guilty on all counts — using excessive force, being deliberately indifferent, witness tampering and conspiracy to witness tamper.—
Jack Armstrong,
USA Today,
2 May 2025
-
May Trigger Digestive Issues Though olive oil may have benefits for some symptoms of digestive disorders such as inflammatory disease, consuming excessive amounts of olive oil can cause gastrointestinal problems such as bloating and diarrhea.14 3.—
Anna Giorgi,
Verywell Health,
2 May 2025
Adjective
-
To his critics, his centralization of power and ruthless purge of opponents put Malaysia on an authoritarian trajectory.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
2 May 2025
-
There’s an undercurrent of electricity between her and the ruthless cartel leader (Salma Hayek) using her as a bargaining chip, but Stone is too cowardly to let the hotties smooch, squandering the only energy Lively was able to muster for this potent strain of mess.—
Lizzie Logan,
Vulture,
2 May 2025
Adjective
-
Thriving after having faced extreme adversity is core to Marine Electric Systems culture, and to the US Navy itself.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
13 May 2025
-
That menagerie is a bit extreme for a race car driver, but van Gisbergen isn’t the only animal lover on the NASCAR circuit.—
Kevin Baxter,
Los Angeles Times,
12 May 2025
Adjective
-
This time, his assignment takes him to Serbia, as he is tasked with assassinating the merciless General Mile Valstoria (Peter Linka).—
Christopher Rudolph,
People.com,
10 May 2025
-
That was 12 years ago, and yet the talk about him continues here, the ghosts live on, and with merciless frequency Lerro privately relives the fateful morning in which a vicious storm descended upon him with no warning.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
8 May 2025
Adjective
-
Amanda learned in like 10 seconds, which is insane.—
Scott Roxborough,
The Hollywood Reporter,
24 Mar. 2025
-
The emu egg—a two pound, eight-inch ovoid with a sultry teal shell gently speckled in pale green—seemed like just the right absurdist final flourish for an already insane endeavor.—
Helen Rosner,
The New Yorker,
23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
-
Idaho residents’ property taxes have seen steep increases amid the area’s rapid population growth in recent years, especially in the Treasure Valley, the Statesman previously reported.—
Sarah Cutler,
Idaho Statesman,
15 May 2025
-
Constellation, which Berkshire first invested in during the fourth quarter of 2024, recently came under pressure after President Donald Trump announced steep tariffs on Mexican imports.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
15 May 2025
Adjective
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On Tuesday, May 13, Trump's visit included a coffee ceremony, participation in a Saudi-U.S investment forum, a visit to a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an extravagant state dinner.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
15 May 2025
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The family has plowed some of their wealth into an extravagant fleet of roughly a dozen Airbus and Boeing airliners converted into luxurious rides for a small number of passengers, as well as smaller business jets from Bombardier and Dassault.—
Jeremy Bogaisky,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
Adjective
-
Imagine a book with an infinite number of pages, each of which consists of infinitely many columns of dots.—
Erica Klarreich,
Quanta Magazine,
5 May 2025
-
This celestial synergy is an invitation to dream big, act on your heart’s desires and embrace the infinite possibilities.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
2 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unmerciful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unmerciful. Accessed 18 May. 2025.
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