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.
In the coastal Gambian town of Tanji, Sirah Darboe-Manneh cleans fish next to a row of ice boxes laying empty because of relentless power cuts.
From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026
“AI valuations assume not only strong demand but also a relentless pace of model development,” said Charu Chanana, chief investment strategist at Saxo Markets.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
The relentless waves destroyed decks, tore down walls and appeared to flood several of the homes on Beach Road, part of the Capistrano Bay Community Services District.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026
Tottenham were relentless at the end of the 2016-17 season, winning 12 of their final 13 matches to finish on 86 points.
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
The repetition was so relentless that, instead of feeling sharper, I was actually starting to feel blurry and a little bored—which might be why I started wobbling on my beam routine.
From "Courage to Soar" by Simone Biles
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.
