as in merciless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings
an office supervisor with a ruthless disregard for others' feelings
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Recent Examples of ruthless
With ruthless competitors who will stop at nothing to dethrone and destroy them, the Whitlocks are a blue-collar dynasty at the edge of extinction – and the old king is fighting to hold onto the crown.
—
Peter White, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026
For hobbyists who love filling every inch of a bed, thinning seedlings can feel ruthless.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Apr. 2026
The surveillance may seem ruthless, and the money behind it limitless.
—Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 29 Apr. 2026
But Monday’s Atlanta Press Club debate was even more ruthless than expected.
—Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ruthless
Peter White, Deadline, 29 Apr. 2026
For hobbyists who love filling every inch of a bed, thinning seedlings can feel ruthless.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Apr. 2026
The surveillance may seem ruthless, and the money behind it limitless.
—Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 29 Apr. 2026
But Monday’s Atlanta Press Club debate was even more ruthless than expected.
—Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ruthless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ruthless
Adjective
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Fleeing into the desert with her father, she is hunted by a merciless army and forced to trust a legendary bandit (Mackie) with secrets of his own.—
Mark Meszoros,
Twin Cities,
25 Apr. 2026
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This commentary was not from a wonkish TikToker nor a network pundit but from TMZ, the merciless purveyor of celebrity dirt, which published the images of Graham after a citizen vacationer noticed the senator flitting through the theme park and sent pictures.—
Paula Mejía,
New Yorker,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
In a vast stony tract of desert a three-hour drive south of Cairo, tucked between jagged black mountains and the glittering Gulf of Suez, a group of Chinese engineers is quietly rewiring Egypt’s energy strategy.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
14 Apr. 2026
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Hikers can traverse the stony beds of Cliffy Creek and snap photos of the park's four iconic waterfalls.—
Joie Probst,
Midwest Living,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ruthless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ruthless. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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