as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings
a theater critic with a take-no-prisoners approach to reviewing Broadway's latest offerings
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Recent Examples of take-no-prisoners
For Aladdin, Disney’s team built on the take-no-chances, take-no-prisoners lessons of its Broadway predecessors to all but guarantee a quality hit.
—
Vulture Editors, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2025
With its mile-a-minute pace, commitment to political incorrectness, and acerbic, expletive-laden dialogue, Veep is a far cry from the sunnier comedies on this list, skewering every facet of the political process with a take-no-prisoners attitude.
—Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 31 Jan. 2025
The Lions are the most complete team in the league, a byproduct of their fearless coach’s take-no-prisoners mantra.
—Zak Keefer, The Athletic, 25 Nov. 2024
If there is any justice, and the election results could factor into this, Sebastian Stan, perfection as the younger Trump, and a terrific Jeremy Strong as his take-no-prisoners lawyer and mentor Roy Cohn both deserve Oscar consideration.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 20 Sep. 2024
At first shrill and chaotic, Europe’s outrage at Trump’s take-no-prisoners Iran policy has now found a bold and practical course of action.
—Elizabeth Rosenberg, Foreign Affairs, 10 Oct. 2018
Daniel is a successful car dealer, with a wife and two kids, whereas Johnny had never gotten past his humiliating high-school defeat at Daniel’s hands (or foot, to be precise), and ran Cobra Kai, a seedy martial arts studio, with a vicious take-no-prisoners philosophy.
—Selena Kuznikov, Variety, 19 July 2024
Ana de Armas steps into the ass-kicking main role for this action flick (though Reeves’ take-no-prisoners hitman character is also involved), which is intriguing for everyone who holds the (correct) opinion that her sequence in No Time To Die is the James Bond movie’s best stretch.
—Alexandra Koster, refinery29.com, 22 May 2024
Boebert built national hard-line conservative stardom through a take-no-prisoners political style in the House.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 26 June 2024
Vulture Editors, Vulture, 4 Feb. 2025
With its mile-a-minute pace, commitment to political incorrectness, and acerbic, expletive-laden dialogue, Veep is a far cry from the sunnier comedies on this list, skewering every facet of the political process with a take-no-prisoners attitude.
—Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 31 Jan. 2025
The Lions are the most complete team in the league, a byproduct of their fearless coach’s take-no-prisoners mantra.
—Zak Keefer, The Athletic, 25 Nov. 2024
If there is any justice, and the election results could factor into this, Sebastian Stan, perfection as the younger Trump, and a terrific Jeremy Strong as his take-no-prisoners lawyer and mentor Roy Cohn both deserve Oscar consideration.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 20 Sep. 2024
At first shrill and chaotic, Europe’s outrage at Trump’s take-no-prisoners Iran policy has now found a bold and practical course of action.
—Elizabeth Rosenberg, Foreign Affairs, 10 Oct. 2018
Daniel is a successful car dealer, with a wife and two kids, whereas Johnny had never gotten past his humiliating high-school defeat at Daniel’s hands (or foot, to be precise), and ran Cobra Kai, a seedy martial arts studio, with a vicious take-no-prisoners philosophy.
—Selena Kuznikov, Variety, 19 July 2024
Ana de Armas steps into the ass-kicking main role for this action flick (though Reeves’ take-no-prisoners hitman character is also involved), which is intriguing for everyone who holds the (correct) opinion that her sequence in No Time To Die is the James Bond movie’s best stretch.
—Alexandra Koster, refinery29.com, 22 May 2024
Boebert built national hard-line conservative stardom through a take-no-prisoners political style in the House.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 26 June 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near take-no-prisoners
Cite this Entry
“Take-no-prisoners.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/take-no-prisoners. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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