Synonyms for unforgiving
- adjective
Most common
relentless unrelenting implacable inexorable vindictive revengeful
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Implacable
implacable, relentless, unrelenting, grim, stern, inexorable, unappeasable, ruthless, unyielding
2. Vindictive
Definitions
- adj. 1
Unwilling or unable to forgive or show mercy.
The electorate was in an unforgiving mood.
- adj. 2
Having no allowance for error or weakness.
The unforgiving Arctic climate makes short work of the unprepared.
Example sentences
- relentless The snow was flaky at first, then heavy and relentless.
- unrelenting We're in the second week of an unrelenting heatwave.
- implacable The man acquiesced, but the woman remained implacable.
- vindictive He became quite vindictive after his wife left him.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| unforgiving | rising | |
| relentless | rising | |
| unrelenting | rising | |
| implacable | steady | |
| inexorable | steady | |
| vindictive | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 4 letters
- grim1
- 5 letters
- stern1
- 8 letters
- ruthless2
- 9 letters
- resentful3
- 10 letters
- relentless3, vindictive3, unyielding3, implacable4, inexorable5, revengeful
- 11 letters
- unrelenting4
- 12 letters
- unappeasable
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (ruthless2 = 2 syllables).