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 merger of different words. Let's take a look at what the word "merciless" means, and how you can use this adjective.
Meaning of the word
The adjective "merciless" is formed by combining the preposition "without" and the noun "mercy", meaning forgiveness, the application of mercy to someone who is expecting punishment or reprisal. According to the explanatory dictionaries of the Russian language, merciless is:
- Not knowing leniency and mercy.
- Very cruel, ruthless.
As a rule, you can be merciless towards enemies or those who are 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" suchare merciful, compassionate, caring, gracious, sympathetic.
"Merciless" - 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 catch phrase, appeared thanks to A. S. Pushkin in his work "The Captain's Daughter".
God forbid to see a Russian rebellion, senseless and merciless!
It is noteworthy that the poet uses this word to describe a phenomenon, not a person. We are talking about the uprising of Yemelyan Pugachev. The expression means that the rebellion is obviously doomed to failure, but at the same time it has large-scale tragic consequences and claims many lives that were sacrificed in vain.
The epithet "merciless" is often used to describe the most terrible villains in children's fairy tales. Kids understand that such a character should 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 of himself accordingly:
I am bloodthirsty, I am merciless, I am the evil robber Barmalei!
In the history of the world there are many extremely cruel rulers, who can also be said to be merciless. Among the monarchs most famous for their atrocities is Vlad Tepes (the prototype that existed in realityCount Dracula, known for barbaric executions), 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 his cruelty. During the years of his reign, the population of Cambodia decreased by 3 million people.
Among modern ruthless characters that have appeared in the cinema, one can single out Ramsey Bolton from the popular television series "Game of Thrones". This man is the embodiment of evil. His name alone inspired terror throughout the kingdom.
