pitiless

[pit-i-lis, pit-ee-]

See more synonyms for pitiless on Thesaurus.com

adjective

feeling or showing no pity; merciless: pitiless criticism of his last novel.

Origin of pitiless

First recorded in 1375–1425, pitiless is from the late Middle English word piteles. See pity, -less

Related formspit·i·less·ly, adverbpit·i·less·ness, noun

Synonyms

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unmerciful, implacable, relentless.

Synonym study

See cruel.

Antonyms

merciful.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for pitiless

Contemporary Examples

And his pitiless beliefs would be no stranger to the political discourse of today.
How Dickens and Scrooge Saved Christmas
Clive Irving
December 22, 2014
Efficiency may seem a pitiless term to use but it does have meaning.
Blood and War: The Hard Truth About ‘Boots on the Ground’
Clive Irving
September 22, 2014
I shall bring him forth and shine on him the pitiless light of history.
Why the World Cannot Forget Stalin
Paul Johnson
February 8, 2014
If they complained, they received a no doubt well-deserved and pitiless beating.
Hamas: The Palestinian Fashion Police
Hussein Ibish
April 9, 2013
We thus remember Portnoy, impaling with pitiless thrusts invasive mothers, plugged-up fathers, dizzying shikses in heat.
Who Is Philip Roth’s Portnoy Satirizing?
Bernard Avishai
August 28, 2012

Historical Examples

Her struggles met only the unbending, pitiless resistance of steel.
The Spenders
Harry Leon Wilson
I knew there must be help; some hand outstretched in a pitiless world.
The Bacillus of Beauty
Harriet Stark
In fine, our fathers bore the brunt of more raging and pitiless elements than we.
Old News
Nathaniel Hawthorne
She wriggled her chin in his palm, trying to free herself from his pitiless staring.
Good Indian
B. M. Bower
If there be a pitiless community in this world, it is a small New England village.
Hetty's Strange History
Anonymous

British Dictionary definitions for pitiless

pitiless

adjective

having or showing little or no pity or mercy

Derived Formspitilessly, adverbpitilessness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for pitiless

adj.

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

pitiless

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}pitiless

Synonyms

Synonym study

Antonyms

Related Words

Examples from the Web for pitiless

Contemporary Examples

And his pitiless beliefs would be no stranger to the political discourse of today.

Efficiency may seem a pitiless term to use but it does have meaning.

I shall bring him forth and shine on him the pitiless light of history.

If they complained, they received a no doubt well-deserved and pitiless beating.

We thus remember Portnoy, impaling with pitiless thrusts invasive mothers, plugged-up fathers, dizzying shikses in heat.

Historical Examples

Her struggles met only the unbending, pitiless resistance of steel.

I knew there must be help; some hand outstretched in a pitiless world.

In fine, our fathers bore the brunt of more raging and pitiless elements than we.

She wriggled her chin in his palm, trying to free herself from his pitiless staring.

If there be a pitiless community in this world, it is a small New England village.

pitiless

Word Origin and History for pitiless

adj.

Origin of pitiless