unforgiving

adjective

un·​for·​giv·​ing ˌən-fər-ˈgi-viŋ How to pronounce unforgiving (audio)
1
: unwilling or unable to forgive
2
: having or making no allowance for error or weakness
an unforgiving environment where false moves can prove fatalJaclyn Fierman
unforgivingness noun

Examples of unforgiving in a Sentence

They are unforgiving of the smallest mistake. the unforgiving world of politics
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Players have spent days grinding through practice rounds, trying to tame Oakmont Country Club's unforgiving setup. Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025 But he was also introduced to the hard realities of an unforgiving industry. Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 11 June 2025 The market can be unforgiving to those who wait, and the cost of inadequate financial systems can compound over time. Brandon Dawson, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025 Going back again and again to that panicked night shift when the bleeding patient died under my hands was an unexpected salve for the unforgiving finality of the actual events. Danielle Ofri, New Yorker, 7 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for unforgiving

Word History

First Known Use

1713, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unforgiving was in 1713

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Cite this Entry

“Unforgiving.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unforgiving. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.

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