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.
Hatcher — a Pomo shape-shifter who dodges prejudice by passing as Mexican in the novel — is a thorny protagonist, often cunning, scheming and unforgiving.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 24, 2026
And it's all taking place in an unforgiving context.
From BBC • Jun. 13, 2026
Children can be just as unforgiving as adults when it comes to movies, which is probably why, until this week, I couldn’t ever bring myself to rewatch “Cars.”
From Salon • Jun. 6, 2026
It is not easy to settle into their windblown world, whose unforgiving beauty, Mr. Stuart writes, can seem shaped by the hand of God, “albeit a God that cared nothing for your comfort.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 1, 2026
And Lena, though unforgiving as ever, was civil to him, since Corinthians had moved to a small house in Southside, which she shared with Porter.
From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison
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.
