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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


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.

See Examples For:

It’s a one-way street, a process as remorseless as aging.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2025

In boxing parlance, we’ve had an undercard that’s lasted weeks, a series of mismatches that Celtic have won with a remorseless intensity.

From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2024

The writers prove this many times over by having the ramifications of past decisions sneak up from behind to shove an unsuspecting figure with a schoolyard bully’s remorseless force.

From Salon ● Aug. 23, 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

It was menacing, being desirous for victims—for it was the huge, remorseless sea.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

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