ruthless

adjective

ruth·​less ˈrüth-ləs 

 also  ˈru̇th-

: having no pity : merciless, cruel

a ruthless tyrant

ruthlessly adverb

ruthlessness noun

Did you know?

If someone can be ruthless, can one also be ruthful?

Ruthless can be defined as "without ruth" or "having no ruth." So what, then, is ruth? The noun ruth, which is now considerably less common than ruthless, means "compassion for the misery of another," "sorrow for one's own faults," or "remorse." And, just as it is possible for one to be without ruth, it is also possible to be full of ruth. The antonym of ruthless is ruthful, meaning "full of ruth" or "tender." Ruthful can also mean "full of sorrow" or "causing sorrow." Ruth can be traced back to the Middle English noun ruthe, itself from ruen, meaning "to rue" or "to feel regret, remorse, or sorrow."

Synonyms

• affectless
• callous
• case-hardened
• cold-blooded
• compassionless
• desensitized
• hard
• hard-boiled
• hard-hearted
• heartless
• indurate
• inhuman
• inhumane
• insensate
• insensitive
• ironhearted
• merciless
• obdurate
• pachydermatous
• pitiless
• remorseless
• slash-and-burn
• soulless
• stony
• stoney
• stonyhearted
• take-no-prisoners
• thick-skinned
• uncharitable
• unfeeling
• unmerciful
• unsparing
• unsympathetic

Examples of ruthless in a Sentence

The journalist was ruthless in his criticism.

an office supervisor with a ruthless disregard for others' feelings

Recent Examples on the Web

Be ruthless with your time Top performers who guard their calendar like their bank account report higher satisfaction levels and better business outcomes. —Jodie Cook, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025

Rendezvous Views The Island has been infused with an abundance of Bars, and now every opportunist is out to hit the jackpot including the ruthless crime kingpin Fletcher Kane. —Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 21 Feb. 2025

Yet in 2016-17, free from midweek continental trips, Conte’s side stormed to the title with 93 points, spearheaded by a ruthless Diego Costa. —Conor O'Neill, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025

Murkowski said the concerns at the town hall ranged from the impact on preparedness for wildland fires to staffing national parks to the ruthless treatment of employees. —Caitlin Huey-Burns, CBS News, 20 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for ruthless

• toothless

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Kids Definition

ruthless

adjective

ruth·​less ˈrüth-ləs 

: having no pity : merciless, cruel

ruthlessly adverb

ruthlessness noun