unforgiving

/'ʌnfə'giviɳ/

Thân thiện

The teacher's unforgiving deadline loomed over the students.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Not willing or able to forgive or show mercy; lacking compassion or leniency: Describes a person, attitude, or nature that does not pardon offenses or show kindness to those who have made mistakes.
   • Not allowing for error or weakness; harsh and demanding: Describes conditions, environments, or systems that are extremely strict and offer no margin for failure.

Usage and Examples

• Describing a person or character:
  • She was an unforgiving critic who never accepted apologies.
  • His unforgiving nature made it difficult for him to maintain friendships.
• Describing conditions or environments:
  • The desert is an unforgiving landscape for those unprepared.
  • The software industry can be unforgiving to companies that fall behind on innovation.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• "unforgiving of": Used to specify what someone or something does not tolerate.
  • The teacher was unforgiving of tardiness.
  • The old machinery was unforgiving of any operational mistakes.
• In a figurative sense, it can describe something that reveals flaws clearly.
  • The unforgiving morning light showed every wrinkle.
  • The report provided an unforgiving analysis of the project's failures.

Variants and Related Words

• Unforgivingly (adverb): In a harsh, merciless manner.
  • The sun shone unforgivingly on the hikers.
• Unforgivingness (noun): The quality or state of being unforgiving. (Note: This is a less common derived noun.)

Synonyms

• Merciless: Showing no mercy.
• Implacable: Unable to be appeased or placated.
• Relentless: Unceasingly intense; harsh.
• Stern: Serious, strict, and severe.
• Inexorable: Impossible to stop or prevent.

Antonyms

• Forgiving: Willing to forgive.
• Merciful: Showing mercy.
• Lenient: More merciful or tolerant than expected.
• Compassionate: Feeling or showing sympathy and concern for others.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• An unforgiving taskmaster: A phrase describing a very strict person in charge.
  • The coach was an unforgiving taskmaster, but the team won the championship.
• In an unforgiving mood: Describing a temporary state of being particularly harsh or intolerant.
  • After the costly error, the manager was in an unforgiving mood.

Học thuật

Adjective

1. not to be placated or appeased or moved by entreaty
   • grim determination
   • grim necessity
   • Russia's final hour, it seemed, approached with inexorable certainty
   • relentless persecution
   • the stern demands of parenthood
2. unwilling or unable to forgive or show mercy
   • a surly unforgiving old woman

Từ đồng nghĩa

• grim
• inexorable
• relentless
• stern
• unappeasable
• unrelenting