1
as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings
an insensitive remark about his deceased wife that was incredibly rude
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in numb
lacking in sensation or feeling
fingers rendered insensitive by the cold
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of insensitive
Popular novelist Sophie Lark's upcoming book, Sparrow and Vine, has been pulled after lines from it circulated on social media and were accused by some of praising billionaire Elon Musk or being racially insensitive.
—
Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
Black leaders, including Harlem pastor and civil rights advocate Johnnie Green, said last week the mayor’s use of the racial phrase in that context was deeply insensitive.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 3 Mar. 2025
Leopold is there with his insensitive wife Belinda (Leoni) and their wise-cracking son Shepard, Poulter’s character who critics have crowned the movie’s scene-stealer.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 10 Mar. 2025
Technically, that means screenwriter Lars Jacobson is the insensitive one here, not Nathan.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 8 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for insensitive
Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
Black leaders, including Harlem pastor and civil rights advocate Johnnie Green, said last week the mayor’s use of the racial phrase in that context was deeply insensitive.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 3 Mar. 2025
Leopold is there with his insensitive wife Belinda (Leoni) and their wise-cracking son Shepard, Poulter’s character who critics have crowned the movie’s scene-stealer.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 10 Mar. 2025
Technically, that means screenwriter Lars Jacobson is the insensitive one here, not Nathan.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 8 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for insensitive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insensitive
Adjective
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Russo, who has avoided serious injury and is set to return to play for Arsenal this month, is an out-and-out centre-forward, a grafter who uses her strength to take care of the ball and stitch play, but is also becoming a more ruthless penalty-box striker.—
Charlotte Harpur,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2025
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The way to move up in your organization might require being ruthless.—
Roberta Matuson,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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This includes drugs like lidocaine, which is used to numb pain.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2025
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Regarding driving dynamics, the LT is tuned for non-enthusiasts—the steering is numb and lifeless, and the cornering grip is average.—
Michael Harley,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The straightforward task rapidly devolves into a perilous game of cat and mouse, when the merciless leader of a notorious crime syndicate sets his sights on claiming the organ for himself.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
2 Apr. 2025
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The counterpoint to Pritzker’s light touch on Schumer is Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who has been merciless in her disapproval of Schumer’s decision.—
Philip Elliott,
TIME,
19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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A week before, Trump’s commerce secretary had an equally callous message for Social Security recipients who don’t get their checks in the mail.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Apr. 2025
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However, the callous manner in which the Trump Administration’s RIFs are being carried out appears to be designed to cause trauma.—
Gary Phelan,
Hartford Courant,
24 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Most residents in the beachfront luxury condominium at Surfside were asleep in their beds when their 12-story residential building shuddered and then collapsed, pinning sleeping residents between the heavy concrete slabs of each floor.—
Bruce Strom,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Apr. 2025
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Screaming for help Most people in the Plum Bay neighborhood were asleep before dawn on Sunday, Feb. 16.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
6 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The group of former Northwestern football players have reportedly agreed to settle their lawsuits against the school, which alleged hazing and abusive behavior.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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In a 1993 interview with the Los Angeles Daily News, North said his aunt Marie Hopper — who served as his guardian when his mother was working — was physically and emotionally abusive.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Tabo turns, in his mother’s eyes, into a cold and unfeeling stone.—
Robert Rubsam,
The Atlantic,
24 Mar. 2025
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So much modern football is mechanical and unfeeling; Joao Felix is loose and breezy.—
Jack Lang,
The Athletic,
9 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Sandoval has received some pay bumps, including a temporary $10,000-a-year bonus for Hawaii special education teachers designed to alleviate shortages in that and other hard-to-staff areas.—
Alia Wong,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2023
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Whether those numbers are an overstatement, or possibly an understatement, is hard to say.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
13 Feb. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Insensitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insensitive. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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