relentless
Americanadjective
-
(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.
She made the decisive break in the 11th game of the opening set before closing it out with a hold to love, and her relentless pressure told again in the second.
From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026
“In this cycle, the real winners will be those who own the bottleneck, as relentless demand turns scarcity into outsized returns.”
From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026
“For now, Nvidia’s fortunes still depend overwhelmingly on relentless global demand for AI infrastructure and data center computing power.”
From MarketWatch • Jun. 1, 2026
It felt like the kind of experience that’s supposed to remind you, amid the relentless passage of time and the chaotic info-jumble of contemporary life, to try to be fully present wherever you are.
From Salon • May 31, 2026
Instead of positive encouragement for Eliza, it seemed more like relentless pressure was placed upon her.
From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad
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.
