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
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
But within this unforgiving landscape, made famous by Steve Irwin’s Crocodile Hunter, are braids of rivers, bouncing marsupials, rolling mountains, ancient reptiles, coastal cliffs dwarfing California’s Big Sur, and the oldest continuous living culture in the world, all ready to be explored.
—Dalton Johnson, Robb Report, 21 Jan. 2025
A couple of months ago, those questions would have prompted some pretty unforgiving answers; underperforming, erratic, perhaps even mediocre.
—George Caulkin, The Athletic, 18 Jan. 2025
The candid expressions of both the nomad and the dog evoke a sense of warmth and connection, even in a harsh and unforgiving environment.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
Many were about urban men and women and their struggles to settle and survive in the canyons and hills of unforgiving environments.
—Joe Mathews, The Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for unforgiving 
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.
Dalton Johnson, Robb Report, 21 Jan. 2025
A couple of months ago, those questions would have prompted some pretty unforgiving answers; underperforming, erratic, perhaps even mediocre.
—George Caulkin, The Athletic, 18 Jan. 2025
The candid expressions of both the nomad and the dog evoke a sense of warmth and connection, even in a harsh and unforgiving environment.
—Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
Many were about urban men and women and their struggles to settle and survive in the canyons and hills of unforgiving environments.
—Joe Mathews, The Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for unforgiving
Dictionary Entries Near unforgiving
Cite this Entry
“Unforgiving.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unforgiving. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share