ruthless synonyms

ruthless

modif.

  1. Without pity; said of persons

    pitiless, unpitying, merciless, unmerciful, tigerish, feral, ferine, ferocious, stony-hearted, heartless, obdurate, cold-blooded, remorseless, vindictive, vengeful, revengeful, rancorous, implacable, unforgiving, malevolent, hardhearted, hard, cold, unsympathetic, unforbearing, vicious, sadistic; see also sense 2; cruel 2.

    Antonyms merciful*, forgiving*, compassionate. *

  2. Showing little evidence of pity; said of actions, policies, etc.

    savage, brutal, cruel, tyrannical, relentless, barbarous, inhuman, callous, grim, atrocious, flagrant, terrible, abominable, outrageous, inexorable, unrelenting, fiendish, oppressive, bloodthirsty, venomous, galling, dog-eat-dog; see also cruel 1.

    Antonyms kind*, helpful*, civilized. See syn. study at cruel.cruel.

Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.