adv · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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UK, US:/ˈɹuːθ.ləs.li/
UK, US:/ˈɹuːθ.lɪs.li/
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:R UW1 TH L AH0 S L IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adv
Meaning 1
In a ruthless manner; with cruelty; without pity or compassion.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adverb
Meaning 2
in a ruthless manner
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the government has been urged to take immediate action to deal ruthlessly with the strikers
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *hrewwaną Proto-West Germanic *hreuwan Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Germanic *-ō Proto-West Germanic *-u Proto-West Germanic *hreuwu Old English hrēow Middle English rewe Middle English -the Old Norse hrygðinflu. Middle English reuþe Proto-Indo-European *lewh1- Proto-Indo-European *lewHs-der. Proto-Germanic *leusaną Proto-Germanic *lausaz Proto-Germanic *-lausaz Proto-West Germanic *-laus Old English -lēas Middle English -les Middle English reuþeles English ruthless Proto-Indo-European *leyg-der. Proto-Germanic *līkąder. Proto-Germanic *-līkaz Proto-Germanic *-ê Proto-Germanic *-līkê Proto-West Germanic *-līkē Old English -līċe Middle English -ly English -ly English ruthlessly From ruthless + -ly.
Across languages
Translations
38 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
անխնա
(anxna)
— in a ruthless manner
Catalan:
despietadament
— in a ruthless manner
Catalan:
sense pietat
— in a ruthless manner
Chinese Mandarin:
殘忍地 /残忍地
(cánrěn de)
— in a ruthless manner
Chinese Mandarin:
無情地 /无情地
(wúqíng de)
— in a ruthless manner
Chinese Mandarin:
殘酷地 /残酷地
(cánkù de)
— in a ruthless manner
Estonian:
halastamatult
— in a ruthless manner
Estonian:
armutult
— in a ruthless manner
Estonian:
julmalt
— in a ruthless manner
Finnish:
armottomasti
— in a ruthless manner
French:
impitoyablement
— in a ruthless manner
French:
sans foi ni loi
— in a ruthless manner
French:
cruellement
— in a ruthless manner
French:
sadiquement
— in a ruthless manner
French:
inhumainement
— in a ruthless manner
French:
tenacement
— in a ruthless manner
Galician:
desapiadadamente
— in a ruthless manner
German:
ruchlos
— in a ruthless manner
German:
rücksichtslos
— in a ruthless manner
German:
unbarmherzig
— in a ruthless manner
German:
unerbittlich
— in a ruthless manner
Hindi:
क्रूरतापूर्वक
(krūrtāpūrvak)
— in a ruthless manner
Italian:
crudelmente
— in a ruthless manner
Italian:
sadicamente
— in a ruthless manner
Italian:
senza pietà
— in a ruthless manner
Italian:
spietatamente
— in a ruthless manner
Polish:
bezwzględnie
— in a ruthless manner
Polish:
niemiłosiernie
— in a ruthless manner
Polish:
bezpardonowo
— in a ruthless manner
Russian:
беспоща́дно
(bespoščádno)
— in a ruthless manner
Russian:
безжа́лостно
(bezžálostno)
— in a ruthless manner
Russian:
немилосе́рдно
(nemilosérdno)
— in a ruthless manner
Russian:
неумоли́мо
(neumolímo)
— in a ruthless manner
Russian:
беспардо́нно
(bespardónno)
— in a ruthless manner
