Word.ws English Dictionary

Synonyms of merciless

32 similar words · 1 opposite word

Another word for merciless is fell. Other synonyms of merciless are cruel, brutal, malicious, ruthless and inhuman. The opposite of merciless is merciful.

Synonyms and similar words for merciless

adjectiveShowing no mercy; cruel and pitiless.

  • unmercifulNot showing mercy.
  • cruelIntentionally causing or reveling in pain and suffering; merciless, heartless.
  • pitilessHaving, or showing, no pity; merciless, ruthless.
  • ruthlessWithout pity or compassion; cruel, pitiless.
  • barbarousMercilessly or impudently violent or cruel, savage.
  • brutalSavagely violent, vicious, ruthless, or cruel, often in an unintelligent manner.
  • compassionlessWithout compassion; hardhearted.
  • flagitious formal
  • demonic figurativelyExtremely cruel or evil; abhorrent or repugnant; diabolical.
  • diabolic figurativelyWicked; evil; cruel.
  • diabolical figurativelyExtremely wicked or cruel.
  • fellOf a strong and cruel nature; eager and unsparing; grim; fierce; ruthless; savage.
  • incessiveFierce; cruel and aggressive.
  • inhumanOf or pertaining to inhumanity and the indifferently cruel, sadistic or barbaric behavior it brings.
  • inhumane
  • maliciousIntending to do harm; characterized by spite and malice.
  • nastySpiteful, unkind.
  • nonhumaneNot humane, inhumane.
  • remorselessWithout remorse, mercy or pity.
  • rottenCruel, mean or immoral.
  • sadisticDelighting in or feeling pleasure from the pain or humiliation of others.
  • savageBrutal, vicious, or merciless.
  • spitefulFilled with, or showing, spite; having a desire to annoy or harm.
  • truculentCruel or savage.
  • unbenevolentNot benevolent.
  • unbenignNot benign; malevolent.
  • unkind
  • unpityingNot feeling or showing pity.
  • bowelless obsoleteWithout pity.
  • despiteful archaicFull of despite; expressing malice or contemptuous hate.
  • inclement obsoleteMerciless, unrelenting.
  • unpitiful archaicWithout pity; pitiless.

Opposite of merciless

adjectiveShowing no mercy; cruel and pitiless.

Meaning of merciless

  1. adjective Showing no mercy; cruel and pitiless.

Full definition of merciless

merciless in other languages

Questions about synonyms of merciless

What is another word for merciless?
Merciless has 32 synonyms on Word.ws, such as fell, cruel, brutal, malicious, ruthless, inhuman, sadistic and spiteful.
What is the opposite of merciless?
The opposite of merciless is merciful.
What does merciless mean?
Merciless means showing no mercy; cruel and pitiless.

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: merciless (page history and authors) and the entries of the words listed. Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws grouped the synonyms and antonyms by meaning and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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Cite this page: “Synonyms of merciless.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/merciless. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.