ruthless

adjective
UK: /ˈruːθləs/
US: /ˈruːθləs/

  1. Having no pity or compassion for others; cruel and determined.

    1. The ruthless dictator ruled with an iron fist.
    2. The company's ruthless cost-cutting measures led to numerous layoffs, impacting many families.

  2. Extremely thorough or effective, often to the point of being harsh.

    1. She was a ruthless competitor, always striving to win.
    2. The editor's ruthless editing skills transformed the sloppy manuscript into a polished novel.

Synonyms

grim unsparing harsh pitiless heartless merciless severe callous cruel
ruthless adverb

  1. In a way that shows no pity or compassion.

    1. He ruthlessly fired all his employees.
    2. The general ruthlessly pursued the retreating enemy, leaving no chance for regrouping.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "ruthless" in English means: Having no pity or compassion for others; cruel and determined., Extremely thorough or effective, often to the point of being harsh..

The phonetic transcription of "ruthless" is /ˈruːθləs/ in British English and /ˈruːθləs/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "ruthless": grim, unsparing, harsh, pitiless, heartless, merciless, severe, callous, cruel.

Example usage of "ruthless": "The ruthless dictator ruled with an iron fist.". More examples on the page.