relentless

[ ri-lent-lis ]

adjective

1. not easing or slackening; maintaining speed, vigor, etc.:

   a relentless barrage of bad news.

2. unyieldingly severe, strict, or harsh:

   a relentless crackdown on human rights.

   Synonyms: unyielding, adamant, obdurate, unbending, rigid

   Antonyms: merciful

relentless

/ rɪˈlɛntlɪs /

adjective

1. (of an enemy, hostile attitude, etc) implacable; inflexible; inexorable
2. (of pace or intensity) sustained; unremitting

Derived Forms

• reˈlentlessness, noun
• reˈlentlessly, adverb

Other Words From

• re·lent·less·ly adverb
• re·lent·less·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of relentless¹

First recorded in 1585–95; relent + -less

Synonym Study

See inflexible.

Example Sentences

"As a serial entrepreneur, Musk has been relentless in trying to improve institutional efficiency at his own enterprises, most notably, Tesla and X," says Thomas Gift, a professor of US politics at University College London.

From BBC

"I promise you, for the remainder of the next four years, I will only speak to you in this tone of voice, this close to the camera. I will be relentless."

From Salon

They were relentless in their physicality, the game turning into a magnificent frenzy.

From BBC

It hasn't happened once, or twice; it is relentless.

From BBC

Just as months of relentless polling showed Harris in a virtual tie with Donald Trump, many of those same surveys told the story of a yawning gender gap.

From BBC

Related Words

• determined
• dogged
• ferocious
• fierce
• harsh
• implacable
• inexorable
• rigorous
• ruthless
• single-minded
• uncompromising
• unforgiving
• unrelenting
• unstoppable
• unyielding