unrelenting
Americanadjective
-
not relenting; not yielding or swerving in determination or resolution, as of or from opinions, convictions, ambitions, ideals, etc.; inflexible.
an unrelenting opponent of the Equal Rights Amendment.
- Synonyms:
- remorseless, cruel, pitiless, ruthless, unmerciful, merciless, relentless
-
not easing or slackening in severity.
an unrelenting rain.
- Synonyms:
- inexorable, implacable, unremitting
-
maintaining speed, effort, vigor, intensity, rate of advance, etc..
an unrelenting attack.
adjective
-
refusing to relent or take pity; relentless; merciless
-
not diminishing in determination, speed, effort, force, etc
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unrelenting
Explanation
Unrelenting is an adjective that describes someone or something that is not willing to give up, like a person who tries fifty different types of ice cream in pursuit of the perfect flavor. The word unrelenting usually describes a person who is stubborn and persistent in his efforts. An unrelenting person may also be unforgiving, such as a judge who will give the harshest sentence regardless of the sob story that the person on trial tells her. Unrelenting can also refer to non-human actions, like the unrelenting wind that finally led to a cancellation of your outdoor sailing competition or the unrelenting noise of the party that kept you awake all night.
Vocabulary lists containing unrelenting
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
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Esperanza Rising
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A Thousand Splendid Suns
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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.
At 32, I started battling unrelenting headaches—clearly perinatal symptoms and sleep deprivation, I was assured by doctors as a new mom.
From Slate • May 6, 2026
In what has been a season of unrelenting misery, the players and supporters who celebrated with sheer joy after the final whistle at Villa Park may just be starting to feel salvation is in sight.
From BBC • May 3, 2026
The company said logic and foundry customers—those seeking to produce the integrated circuits that power smartphones, computers and other electronic devices—had led growth in the quarter amid unrelenting appetite for AI.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026
Residents described headaches and an unrelenting bitter taste in their mouths as the stench of smoke filled their homes.
From Salon • Mar. 17, 2026
I might have discovered that in at least one instance the wheel had stopped, that in spite of all the unrelenting calculation, chance and luck had, at least once, changed something.
From "The Stranger" by Albert Camus
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.
