Word.ws English Dictionary

Synonyms of ruthless

33 similar words · 1 opposite word

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

Synonyms and similar words for ruthless

adjectiveWithout pity or compassion; cruel, pitiless.

  • compassionlessWithout compassion; hardhearted.
  • mercilessShowing no mercy; cruel and pitiless.
  • unsympatheticNot sympathetic; ill-disposed.
  • barbarousMercilessly or impudently violent or cruel, savage.
  • brutalSavagely violent, vicious, ruthless, or cruel, often in an unintelligent manner.
  • cruel
  • 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.
  • pitilessHaving, or showing, no pity; merciless, ruthless.
  • 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
  • unmercifulNot showing mercy.
  • 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 ruthless

adjectiveWithout pity or compassion; cruel, pitiless.

  • ruthfulFull of ruth or pity; merciful; compassionate.

Meaning of ruthless

  1. adjective Without pity or compassion; cruel, pitiless.
  2. adjective Uncompromising; unrelenting.

Full definition of ruthless

ruthless in other languages

Questions about synonyms of ruthless

What is another word for ruthless?
Ruthless has 33 synonyms on Word.ws, such as fell, brutal, malicious, inhuman, sadistic, merciless, spiteful and rotten.
What is the opposite of ruthless?
The opposite of ruthless is ruthful.
What does ruthless mean?
Ruthless means without pity or compassion; cruel, pitiless.

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: ruthless (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 ruthless.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/synonyms/ruthless. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.