relentless
Americanadjective
-
(of an enemy, hostile attitude, etc) implacable; inflexible; inexorable
-
(of pace or intensity) sustained; unremitting
Related Words
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.
The combination of the positive news on the industrial dispute and the relentless demand for high-end semiconductor chips led to an 8% rally in Samsung, the second-biggest company in Asia behind Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co.
From MarketWatch • May 21, 2026
“We have a relentless pursuit to stay in compliance.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
“As soon as someone becomes a brand, the incentives become relentless: preserve the image/persona, the audience, the flow of money and, last but not least, preserve the aura,” he said.
From Salon • May 19, 2026
In a statement released to the media after his cabinet was announced, ap Iorwerth said it would have a "relentless focus on doing what's best for Wales".
From BBC • May 13, 2026
The relentless ogive of growth fascinated Jacques Monod, the French biologist.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
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.
