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Synonyms

remorseless

American  
[ri-mawrs-lis] / rɪˈmɔrs lɪs /

adjective

  1. without remorse; merciless; pitiless; relentless.

    Synonyms:
    cruel, inexorable, implacable, unrelenting, ruthless

remorseless British  
/ rɪˈmɔːslɪs /

adjective

  1. without compunction, pity, or compassion

  2. not abating in intensity; relentless

    a remorseless wind

"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

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Etymology

Origin of remorseless

First recorded in 1585–95; remorse + -less

Explanation

A person who is remorseless doesn't feel any guilt. If you're remorseless, you don't feel bad at all — even if you've done something terrible. When someone is remorseless, that person has no feeling of pity for people who have been hurt. If you're remorseless, you have no conscience — essentially, you're cruel and ruthless. A remorseless killer doesn't care about her victim, and a remorseless critic doesn't worry about hurting someone's feelings with his harsh words. Remorse is regret, and it's rooted in the Latin word remordere, "to vex or disturb," or literally, "to bite back."

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Vocabulary lists containing remorseless

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.

It was an expression of the stark alternatives faced by thousands of Americans embroiled in a remorseless civil war.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 9, 2026

But what's telling is how remorseless Gibson has been.

From Salon • Mar. 13, 2025

And history tells us five points is a significant advantage to remorseless City at any stage of the season.

From BBC • Oct. 27, 2024

“Wednesday’s tomorrow,” the Friar says in passing, noting a remorseless speed that seems to take everyone by surprise.

From New York Times • Jun. 16, 2023

“A great natural ingenuity, and an apparently remorseless determination to mislead justice.”

From "Murder on the Orient Express" by Agatha Christie

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