relentless
American
adjective
-
(of an enemy, hostile attitude, etc) implacable; inflexible; inexorable
-
(of pace or intensity) sustained; unremitting
Synonym Usage
See inflexible.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of relentless
Explanation
Relentless is a good word for describing something that's harsh, unforgiving, and persistent, like the hot sun in the desert, or a cold that keeps you in bed for days with a nose like a strawberry. When you're relentless about something, you mean business. You're not stopping until you get what you want, and you're not taking "no" for an answer. People might try to steer you from your goal, but you have eyes only for the prize and they're just going to have to get out of your way. If you're a relentless student, for instance, you might stay up all night studying your vocabulary, just in case there might be a quiz in the morning.
Vocabulary lists containing relentless
The Giver
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A Long Walk to Water
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Power Suffix: -less
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
But with their relentless lineup, ferocious bullpen and unyielding will, the Brewers steamrolled their way through October, ending with a 4-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in Wednesday’s decisive Game 5.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
It follows weeks of relentless attacks on Raman by Bass, whom some analysts had predicted would need to campaign more aggressively to close the gap with her challenger.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026
Milwaukee’s relentless approach at the plate has survived everything October has thrown at it, all the way to a 2-0 World Series lead.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 25, 2026
Le Pen called for a "relentless" investigation and said it was "despicable" if racism was the shooter's motive.
From Barron's ● Oct. 24, 2026
The cold relentless circling of the intestate earth.
From "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
