relentless

[ri-lent-lis]

See more synonyms for relentless on Thesaurus.com

adjective

that does not relent; unyieldingly severe, strict, or harsh; unrelenting: a relentless enemy.

Origin of relentless

First recorded in 1585–95; relent + -less

Related formsre·lent·less·ly, adverbre·lent·less·ness, noun

Synonyms

See more synonyms for relentless on Thesaurus.com

rigid, unbending, obdurate, adamant, unyielding. See inflexible.

Antonyms

merciful.

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

Examples from the Web for relentless

Contemporary Examples

This was achieved only by a relentless program of technical advances.
Flight 8501 Poses Question: Are Modern Jets Too Automated to Fly?
Clive Irving
January 4, 2015
Make way not for ducklings but for relentless darkness: so the operative mantra goes.
The Internet Embedded in Your Head
J.T. Price
November 21, 2014
Now it is a race against time to see which moves faster—those suffering from the relentless problems or those who can stop them.
What’s Worse Than Ebola in West Africa? Almost Everything
Barbie Latza Nadeau
October 23, 2014
Nothing illustrates this more tangibly than his relentless campaign against modern architecture.
Imagining Prince Charles as King Makes All of Britain Wish They Could Leave Like Scotland
Clive Irving
September 17, 2014
The relentless pace required us to impose a certain degree of emotional distance to get the job done.
The Resilient City: New York After 9/11
John Avlon
September 11, 2014

Historical Examples

"And that isn't the worst of it," the relentless daughter broke in.
The Spenders
Harry Leon Wilson
What have I done that you should follow me with this relentless spite?
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. 327
Various
The nobleman tried yet harder, yet could not please his relentless critic.
Camps, Quarters and Casual Places
Archibald Forbes
They were businesslike, relentless, cold, they belonged to the world of the harbor!
The Harbor
Ernest Poole
"Not that it would make any difference if she stayed," pursued the relentless George.
The Prisoner of Zenda
Anthony Hope

British Dictionary definitions for relentless

relentless

adjective

(of an enemy, hostile attitude, etc) implacable; inflexible; inexorable
(of pace or intensity) sustained; unremitting

Derived Formsrelentlessly, adverbrelentlessness, 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 relentless

adj.

1590s, from relent + -less. Related: Relentlessly; relentlessness.

relentless

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;}}relentless

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples from the Web for relentless

Contemporary Examples

This was achieved only by a relentless program of technical advances.

Make way not for ducklings but for relentless darkness: so the operative mantra goes.

Now it is a race against time to see which moves faster—those suffering from the relentless problems or those who can stop them.

Nothing illustrates this more tangibly than his relentless campaign against modern architecture.

The relentless pace required us to impose a certain degree of emotional distance to get the job done.

Historical Examples

"And that isn't the worst of it," the relentless daughter broke in.

What have I done that you should follow me with this relentless spite?

The nobleman tried yet harder, yet could not please his relentless critic.

They were businesslike, relentless, cold, they belonged to the world of the harbor!

"Not that it would make any difference if she stayed," pursued the relentless George.

relentless

Word Origin and History for relentless

adj.

Origin of relentless