What does ruthless mean?

Definitions for ruthless
ˈruθ lɪsruth·less

This dictionary definitions page includes all the possible meanings, example usage and translations of the word ruthless.

Princeton's WordNet

  1. pitiless, remorseless, ruthless, unpityingadjective

    without mercy or pity

    "an act of ruthless ferocity"; "a monster of remorseless cruelty"

Wiktionary

  1. ruthlessadjective

    Without pity or compassion; cruel, pitiless.

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary

  1. Ruthlessadjective

    Cruel; pitiless; uncompassionate; barbarous.

    Etymology: from ruth.

    What is Edward but a ruthless sea?
    What Clarence but a quicksand of deceit? William Shakespeare.

    The ruthless flint doth cut my tender feet;
    And when I start, the cruel people laugh. William Shakespeare.

    His archers circle me; my reins they wound,
    And ruthless shed my gall upon the ground. George Sandys.

    Their rage the hostile powers restrain,
    All but the ruthless monarch of the main. Alexander Pope.

    To ruthless deeds, blind rage, and fell revenge,
    Their fervid spirits fires. James Thomson, Summer.

ChatGPT

  1. ruthless

    Ruthless refers to a person or action that shows no mercy, pity, compassion or sympathy, often characterized by harshness, cruelty, or relentlessness in pursuing their goals, regardless of the harm or suffering it may cause others.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Ruthlessadjective

    having no ruth; cruel; pitiless

Wikidata

  1. Ruthless

    Ruthless is a drama film directed by Edgar G. Ulmer and starring Zachary Scott and Louis Hayward.

Rap Dictionary

  1. ruthlessadjective

    Tough, hard, stopping at nothing. "Drop him in his tracks so hip that I am ruthless" - Eazy-E (It's on Dr. Dre 187 um killa)

  2. ruthlessadjective

    Ruthless Records is Eazy-E's record company.

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

Anagrams for ruthless »

  1. hurtless

  2. hustlers

  3. sluthers

How to pronounce ruthless?

How to say ruthless in sign language?

Numerology

  1. Chaldean Numerology

    The numerical value of ruthless in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

  2. Pythagorean Numerology

    The numerical value of ruthless in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of ruthless in a Sentence

  1. Nadia Murad:

    Nadia Murad, 21, made the comments during a speech at London’s Trade Union Congress House, The Mirror reported Sunday. Murad, from the Iraqi town of Sinjar, said Nadia Murad was orphaned after ruthless ISIS militants killed six of her brothers and Nadia Murad mother. When they took me to Mosul and raped me, I forgot my mother and brothers. Because what they were doing to the women was more difficult than death, Nadia Murad said. Murad said Nadia Murad was among the more than 5,000 Yazidi women taken captive when ISIS swept through the region, many of which were sold into the sex trade. They were committing all kinds ; murder, rape and displacing people by force in the name of Islam.

  2. Probaerb:

    Better to remain jobless than work for the ruthless private organization that only does exploitation, humiliation of its employees and gives them pressure and stress

  3. George Hatzimarkos:

    Another tragedy caused by the traffickers. It was a clear murder today, and Europe had to declare war on these ruthless criminals yesterday.

  4. Henry Kissinger:

    If peace is equated simply with the absence of war, it can become abject pacifism that turns the world over to the most ruthless.

  5. Kingman Brewster, Jr.:

    Universities should be safe havens where ruthless examination of realities will not be distorted by the aim to please or inhibited by the risk of displeasure.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

ruthless#10000#26085#100000

Translations for ruthless

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

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"ruthless." Definitions.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2025. Web. 15 Feb. 2025. <https://www.definitions.net/definition/ruthless>.

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