ruthlessness
Without any mercy
Ruthlessness is the quality of pursuing goals without mercy or compassion for those affected.
A ruthless person does whatever it takes to succeed, unbothered by the suffering caused: The CEO's ruthlessness made him effective but feared.
The word implies cold calculation—not cruelty for its own sake, but willingness to harm when convenient.
Savage, merciless behavior
- savageryExtreme, violent cruelty
- barbaritySavage or cruel behavior
- viciousnessExtreme cruelty or spite
- pitilessnessTotal absence of compassion
harshness · sadism · ferocity · cold-bloodedness · inhumanity · malevolence · fiendishness · remorselessness
Energy transfer rate
- controlAuthority to direct
- authorityPower to enforce obedience
- dominationSupreme authority held
- supremacyHighest rank or power
tyranny · dictatorship · despotism · autocracy · subjugation · oppression · hegemony · command
Cruel emotional indifference
- heartlessnessLack of compassion
- indifferenceLack of interest
- detachmentSeparation or emotional uninvolvement
- insensitivityLack of emotional awareness
unfeeling · emotionless · dispassion · aloofness · apathy · hard-hearted · unmoved · stoic
Viciously competitive or murderous
- competitiveDriven by rivalry
- drivenIntensely determined to achieve
- single-mindedDevoted to one purpose
- calculatingColdly self-serving in strategy
opportunistic · exploitative · Machiavellian · predatory · unscrupulous · conniving · self-serving · mercenary
Lacking any compassion
- unforgivingShowing no leniency
- relentlessContinuing without pause
- unsparingShowing no leniency
- implacableIncapable of being pacified
unyielding · remorseless · stern · hardened · inexorable · unrelenting · uncompassionate · stony
Strength or compulsion
- violenceHarmful physical force
- hostilityAntagonistic disposition toward others
- attackAggressive act against another
- assaultViolent offensive act
belligerence · combativeness · confrontation · offensive · warfare · antagonism · strife · pugnacity
Aggressive repeated intimidation
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
- threatsDeclarations of intended harm
- menaceSource of potential harm
- terrorizingInstilling extreme fear
blackmail · pressure · harassment · domineering · overbearing · fear · threatening · strongarm
brutality
Savage, merciless behavior
- savageryExtreme, violent cruelty
- barbaritySavage or cruel behavior
- viciousnessExtreme cruelty or spite
pitilessness · harshness · sadism · ferocity · cold-bloodedness · inhumanity · malevolence · fiendishness · remorselessness · truculence
power
Energy transfer rate
- controlAuthority to direct
- authorityPower to enforce obedience
- dominationSupreme authority held
supremacy · tyranny · dictatorship · despotism · autocracy · subjugation · oppression · hegemony · command · mastery
callousness
Cruel emotional indifference
- heartlessnessLack of compassion
- indifferenceLack of interest
- detachmentSeparation or emotional uninvolvement
insensitivity · unfeeling · emotionless · dispassion · aloofness · apathy · hard-hearted · unmoved · stoic · impersonal
cutthroat
Viciously competitive or murderous
- competitiveDriven by rivalry
- drivenIntensely determined to achieve
- single-mindedDevoted to one purpose
calculating · opportunistic · exploitative · Machiavellian · predatory · unscrupulous · conniving · self-serving · mercenary · ambitious
pitiless
Lacking any compassion
- unforgivingShowing no leniency
- relentlessContinuing without pause
- unsparingShowing no leniency
implacable · unyielding · remorseless · stern · hardened · inexorable · unrelenting · uncompassionate · stony · harsh
force
Strength or compulsion
- violenceHarmful physical force
- hostilityAntagonistic disposition toward others
- attackAggressive act against another
assault · belligerence · combativeness · confrontation · offensive · warfare · antagonism · strife · pugnacity · militancy
bullying
Aggressive repeated intimidation
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
- threatsDeclarations of intended harm
- menaceSource of potential harm
terrorizing · blackmail · pressure · harassment · domineering · overbearing · fear · threatening · strongarm · extortion
- competitivenessrivalry, vying, contending, outdoing, outperforming
- vicesgreed, envy, lust, gluttony, vanity
- harshnessseverity, roughness, sternness, sharpness, hardness
- intimidation traitsaggression, dominance, hostility, fierceness, commanding presence
- crueltycruelty, brutality, inhumanity, viciousness, heartlessness
- savagerybarbarism, barbarity, brutality, brutishness, cruelty
ruthlessnesscompassion
Concern for others' distress
mercy · kindness · benevolence · gentleness · charity
ruthlessnessscrupulousness
Careful moral precision
forbearance · fair play · sportsmanship · conscientiousness · restraint