unforgiving

adjective
UK: /ˌʌnfərˈɡɪvɪŋ/
US: /ˌʌnfərˈɡɪvɪŋ/

  1. Not willing to forgive; showing no compassion.

    1. She is unforgiving and never lets anyone forget a mistake.
    2. The boss was completely unforgiving when I arrived late to work this morning.

  2. Describes a place or situation that is difficult or dangerous.

    1. The desert is unforgiving; you need a lot of water to travel.
    2. Mountain climbing can be an unforgiving activity for the unprepared.

  3. Describes something that does not hide faults or imperfections.

    1. That dress is unforgiving, it shows every lump and bump.
    2. The close-up photography was unforgiving, revealing every tiny flaw.

Synonyms

harsh severe strict implacable relentless

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "unforgiving" in English means: Not willing to forgive; showing no compassion., Describes a place or situation that is difficult or dangerous., Describes something that does not hide faults or imperfections..

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

Synonyms for "unforgiving": harsh, severe, strict, implacable, relentless.

Example usage of "unforgiving": "She is unforgiving and never lets anyone forget a mistake.". More examples on the page.