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If someone can be ruthless, can one also be ruthful?
Ruthless can be defined as "without ruth" or "having no ruth." So what, then, is ruth? The noun ruth, which is now considerably less common than ruthless, means "compassion for the misery of another," "sorrow for one's own faults," or "remorse." And, just as it is possible for one to be without ruth, it is also possible to be full of ruth. The antonym of ruthless is ruthful, meaning "full of ruth" or "tender." Ruthful can also mean "full of sorrow" or "causing sorrow." Ruth can be traced back to the Middle English noun ruthe, itself from ruen, meaning "to rue" or "to feel regret, remorse, or sorrow."
Examples of ruthless in a Sentence
Robert W. Merry, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Mar. 2025
The film follows Bryan, a Korean American teenager who wants out of his ruthless gang the Goblins, setting the stage for gang retribution against him.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 7 Mar. 2025
Leading into WrestleMania 40, The Rock introduced The Final Boss, a ruthless and relentless persona.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 4 Mar. 2025
For years, the FBI and Border Patrol have been sounding alarms, warning that this ruthless gang was on the rise.
—Brooke Taylor, Fox News, 3 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Ruthless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ruthless. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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