mercilessly
Americanadverb
-
without mercy, pity, or tolerance.
I was mercilessly bullied in school throughout my childhood.
Any speaker who goes on longer than 15 minutes will be interrupted mercilessly by the moderator.
-
without reprieve; unbearably.
An unusually humid July morning had morphed into a mercilessly hot afternoon.
Etymology
Origin of mercilessly
Explanation
To behave mercilessly is to act without showing pity or sympathy, like a bully who torments other kids or a basketball team that beats the opponent 125 – 0. Whenever possible, it’s best to avoid people who act mercilessly. When you show mercy, you're kind and empathetic. Without any mercy, you’re merciless, and when you act this way you act mercilessly. You show no pity! Some big brothers kid their little sisters mercilessly, and a judge who gives the maximum sentence for a minor crime has ruled mercilessly. Mercy is at the root of mercilessly, from the Old French merci, which means both "thanks" and "pity." If people act mercilessly, tell them thanks for nothing!
Vocabulary lists containing mercilessly
"Everyday Use" by Alice Walker
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Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
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The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
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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.
Mohammad Mahfouz Alam, who sells footwear from a stall nearby, said on hot days like these, there's little respite as the heat rises from the ground up and the sun beats down mercilessly from above.
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026
Brunson, hounded mercilessly by the Spurs, didn't make a basket until the second quarter.
From Barron's ● Jun. 11, 2026
The private equity model has struck again—this time, even more quickly and mercilessly than usual.
From Slate ● Jan. 23, 2026
Software stocks have been mercilessly battered in recent weeks, and that trend has continued in a striking way to start this year.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 17, 2026
By 2011, the West African black rhino was officially declared extinct, thanks to poachers who mercilessly killed them for their horns—which people then use for decorative carvings and grind into powder for medicines.
From "Camp Panda" by Catherine Thimmesh
Definitions 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.
