unrelenting
Americanadjective
-
not relenting; not yielding or swerving in determination or resolution, as of or from opinions, convictions, ambitions, ideals, etc.; inflexible.
an unrelenting opponent of the Equal Rights Amendment.
- Synonyms:
- remorseless, cruel, pitiless, ruthless, unmerciful, merciless, relentless
-
not easing or slackening in severity.
an unrelenting rain.
- Synonyms:
- inexorable, implacable, unremitting
-
maintaining speed, effort, vigor, intensity, rate of advance, etc..
an unrelenting attack.
adjective
-
refusing to relent or take pity; relentless; merciless
-
not diminishing in determination, speed, effort, force, etc
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of unrelenting
Explanation
Unrelenting is an adjective that describes someone or something that is not willing to give up, like a person who tries fifty different types of ice cream in pursuit of the perfect flavor. The word unrelenting usually describes a person who is stubborn and persistent in his efforts. An unrelenting person may also be unforgiving, such as a judge who will give the harshest sentence regardless of the sob story that the person on trial tells her. Unrelenting can also refer to non-human actions, like the unrelenting wind that finally led to a cancellation of your outdoor sailing competition or the unrelenting noise of the party that kept you awake all night.
Vocabulary lists containing unrelenting
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
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Esperanza Rising
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A Thousand Splendid Suns
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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 AI race has unleashed an unrelenting wave of investments as companies seek to build out the data centers needed to power the energy-intensive technology, driving demand for increasingly advanced chips for AI infrastructure.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026
That simple question was only the beginning of an unrelenting nightmare.
From Slate • Apr. 19, 2026
A daily unrelenting dread from which there is no sign of escape.
From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026
But broad reforms would mean transforming a deeply embedded, command-and-control system that, while faulty, has endured for 67 years, despite unrelenting pressure from Washington.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026
But fighting the unrelenting urge to flee drained my energy and spirits more than my work did.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
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.
