unforgiving
Americanadjective
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not disposed to forgive or show mercy; unrelenting.
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not allowing for mistakes, carelessness, or weakness.
the unforgiving nature of aviation.
adjective
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not willing to forgive; unmerciful
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(of a machine, system, etc) allowing little or no opportunity for mistakes to be corrected
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harsh and unremitting
an unforgiving and desolate landscape
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unforgiving
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.
NBC Nightly News anchor Tom Llamas also paid homage to the news executive at the end of his Wednesday program, describing him as a “loving and funny guy in a tough and unforgiving business.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026
Panettiere’s book, “This Is Me: A Reckoning,” now offers a posthumous account of a youth spent in the unforgiving eye of the entertainment industry.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
It’s a frustrating truth that preparation and hard work don’t always protect us from how unforgiving life can be.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 24, 2026
With that encounter, the Ingalls make their first true friend, and one of many who help them survive a year in a place that is in many ways magical and in others unforgiving.
From Salon ● Jul. 11, 2026
Although they hadn’t found Julio, and they were still worried that a killer was on the loose, they also knew that Julio most likely wouldn’t survive on his own in the harsh and unforgiving jungle.
From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple
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.
