The great Russian language is rich in interesting words. Some sound very unusual, you have to guess about their meanings. Others are formed from the merging of different words. Consider what the word "merciless" means, and also learn how to use this adjective.
Meaning of the word
The adjective “merciless” is formed by merging the preposition “without” and the noun “mercy”, meaning forgiveness, applying mercy to someone awaiting punishment or reprisal. According to the explanatory dictionaries of the Russian language, merciless is:
- Not knowing condescension and mercy.
- Very cruel, ruthless.
As a rule, one can be merciless in relation to enemies or to those who have become addicted.
Synonyms
Ruthless, bloodthirsty, inhuman, ferocious, barbaric, implacable, cruel, heartless - these are all synonyms for the word merciless. Not so little, it’s worth saying.
Antonyms
As you know, these are words that have the opposite meaning. To the "merciless" those are merciful, compassionate, caring, gracious, sympathetic.
"Ruthless" - what is it? Examples in literature and cinema
To better understand what the word "merciless" is, you can turn to Russian literature.
The most famous phrase, which has now become a catchphrase, appeared thanks to A. S. Pushkin in his work "The Captain's Daughter."
God forbid to see the Russian rebellion, senseless and merciless!
It is noteworthy that the poet characterizes the word phenomenon, and not a person. We are talking about the uprising of Emelyan Pugachev. The expression means that the rebellion is obviously doomed to failure, but at the same time it has large-scale tragic consequences and takes many lives that were sacrificed in vain.
The term "merciless" is often used to describe the most terrible villains of children's tales. Kids understand that such a character needs to be feared. For example, the "merciless Serpent-Gorynych."
Another example is the eponymous negative hero of the children's poem "Barmaley" (author K. I. Chukovsky), who speaks about himself accordingly:
I am bloodthirsty, I am merciless, I am the evil robber of Barmaley!
In world history there are many extremely cruel rulers, which can also be said that they are merciless. Among the monarchs most famous for their atrocities are Vlad Tepes (the prototype of Count Dracula, known for barbaric executions that existed in reality), Ivan the Terrible - the first king of all Russia, Attila, who made repeated destructive attacks on Italy. Of our contemporaries, Pol Pot became famous for its cruelty. During the years of his reign, the population of Cambodia decreased by 3 million people.
Among the modern ruthless characters that appeared in the cinema, one can distinguish Ramsey Bolton from the popular television series "Game of Thrones." This man is the embodiment of evil. His name alone terrified the whole kingdom.