unforgiving

adjective

un·​for·​giv·​ing ˌən-fər-ˈgi-viŋ 

1

: unwilling or unable to forgive

2

: having or making no allowance for error or weakness

an unforgiving environment where false moves can prove fatal

—Jaclyn 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

My Aoyama has survived multiple safaris, the TSA conveyor belt, and even the unforgiving grasp of a two-year-old who borrowed it for playtime and threw it down on the pavement. —Talia Ergas, Travel + Leisure, 22 Feb. 2025

Twisting through the heart of the city, Monaco’s circuit is a test of precision, where drivers push their cars, just kissing the unforgiving barriers with millimeter-perfect accuracy. —Kanzah Maktoum, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025

Surviving on the unforgiving Antarctic ice sheet requires considerable skill and resourcefulness. —Ingrid Newkirk, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2025

How else to explain the sudden drop into an unforgiving landscape? —Erin Qualey, Vulture, 7 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1713, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for unforgiving

• almsgiving
• caregiving
• forgiving
• misgiving
• nonliving
• reliving
• thanksgiving
• giving
• living
• sieving