pitiless

[pit-i-lis, pit-ee-] /ˈpɪt ɪ lɪs, ˈpɪt i-/

adjective

feeling or showing no pity; merciless:

pitiless criticism of his last novel.

Origin

1375-1425; late Middle English piteles. See pity, -less

Related forms

pitilessly, adverb

pitilessness, noun

Can be confused

piteous, pitiable, pitiful, pitiless (see synonym study at pitiful)

Synonyms

unmerciful, implacable, relentless. See cruel.

Antonyms

merciful.

Examples from the web for pitiless

In the wink of an eye, insomnia slips from thought to obsession, from earnest doubt to pitiless masochism and misanthropy.
But this crisis has shone a pitiless light on that failure.
It arose-arises-from his willingness to devote real time to the pitiless search for the apt resonance.
Yet our pitiless political system tends to reward those who eat a consistently bland diet.
He used it to find his way to an even starker abbreviation of a pitiless world.
The pitiless nature of these charlatans is almost beyond belief.
His work on them is a masterpiece of pitiless satire.
The sky was sapphire, the sun splendid and pitiless, the heat sweltering.
It loomed before us gaunt and alone in the pitiless clear light.

British Dictionary definitions for pitiless

/ˈpɪtɪlɪs/

adjective

having or showing little or no pity or mercy

Derived Forms

pitilessly, adverb
pitilessness, noun

Word Origin and History for pitiless

adj.

early 15c., from pity + -less. Related: Pitilessly; pitilessness.