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Merciless vs Unforgiving - What's the difference?

merciless | unforgiving |

As adjectives the difference between merciless and unforgiving

is that merciless is showing no mercy; cruel and pitiless while unforgiving is unwilling or unable to forgive or show mercy.

merciless

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • showing no mercy; cruel and pitiless
  • Synonyms

    * unmerciful

    Derived terms

    * mercilessness

    Anagrams

    *

    unforgiving

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Unwilling or unable to forgive or show mercy.
  • The electorate was in an unforgiving mood.
  • Having no allowance for weakness.
  • The unforgiving Arctic climate makes short work of the unprepared.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2014
  • , date=November 14 , author=Stephen Halliday , title=Scotland 1-0 Republic of Ireland: Maloney the hero , work=The Scotsman citation , page= , passage=In a raucous atmosphere, it was an unforgiving and physical contest from the start. Grant Hanley conceded the first free-kick within the opening 20 seconds, setting the tone for a busy and thankless evening for Serbian referee Milorad Mazic.}}

    Derived terms

    * unforgivingly * unforgivingness