1
as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings
an affectless analysis of the cost of the war purely in pecuniary terms
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stoic
not feeling or showing emotion
the accused remained affectless throughout the long trial
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of affectless
The use of an A.I. program to replicate Warhol’s flat, affectless speech to read the diary entries had a strangely fitting logic.
—
Steve Dollar, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2022
His paintings borrowed aspects of photographic vision (arbitrary cropping, dissonant overlap) and even photographic sensibility (cool, affectless, mechanical).
—Washington Post, 20 Jan. 2021
Mumblecore veteran Sheil, with her Raphaelite curtain of hair and almost affectless voice, can be an opaque heroine, and the plot, as far as there is one, feels halting at first, the dialogue choppy and unreal.
—Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 30 July 2020
Johnny Flynn’s affectless monotone was crisp, clear, and cheery.
—Adrienne So, Wired, 1 Apr. 2020
See All Example Sentences for affectless
Steve Dollar, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2022
His paintings borrowed aspects of photographic vision (arbitrary cropping, dissonant overlap) and even photographic sensibility (cool, affectless, mechanical).
—Washington Post, 20 Jan. 2021
Mumblecore veteran Sheil, with her Raphaelite curtain of hair and almost affectless voice, can be an opaque heroine, and the plot, as far as there is one, feels halting at first, the dialogue choppy and unreal.
—Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 30 July 2020
Johnny Flynn’s affectless monotone was crisp, clear, and cheery.
—Adrienne So, Wired, 1 Apr. 2020
See All Example Sentences for affectless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affectless
Adjective
-
The role of Chris Partlow, Marlo Stanfield's top lieutenant and ruthless hitman, was the first screen credit for Gbenga Akinnagbe.—
Derek Lawrence,
EW.com,
29 July 2025
-
The initial plan was to use the Indigenous Taino population to work the fields, but this population was quickly decimated by genocidal conquest, ruthless working conditions as well as novel diseases brought by the Europeans.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 July 2025
Adjective
-
The wildcard: Swiatek, normally stoic and focused on the court, has occasionally seemed distracted or at odds with herself this season.—
Corey Seymour,
Vogue,
11 July 2025
-
Whether your preference is seaside towns, Olympic stadiums, stoic statues or artistic arches, Greece has plenty to fill your cellphone’s camera roll and offer you an unforgettable experience.—
Tracy Scott Forson,
Smithsonian Magazine,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
Beyond the numbers is the human toll of Trump’s merciless campaign.—
South Florida Sun Sentinel,
Sun Sentinel,
21 July 2025
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Private equity moving into professional sports conjures the same fears of merciless efficiency in an industry driven by sentimentality, but Arougheti brushes off the concerns, arguing that institutional capital will increase profitability and allow owners to invest more in their teams.—
Leo Schwartz,
Fortune,
21 July 2025
Adjective
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But Bana is not as believable when asked to drop his stony demeanor and display vulnerability, a shortcoming that hampers his arc in the back half of the season.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
17 July 2025
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And most of those business people tend to have rather stony, cold, dead eyes.—
Andrew Tobias,
Vulture,
7 July 2025
Adjective
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From Hollywood's Golden Age and the '70s catastrophe obsession to today, these films have unearthed every pitiless corner of nature's wrath, from towering tsunamis and viral pandemics to all-out apocalypses and more.—
EW Staff Published,
EW.com,
3 July 2025
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They were born out of a pitiless epidemic, as a poignant yet futile attempt to allow his subjects to live forever on film.—
Chris Wiley,
New Yorker,
28 June 2025
Adjective
-
In many areas along and east of the Mississippi River, heat index values could soar to between 110 and 115 degrees — the kind of oppressive heat that can quickly turn dangerous without proper precautions.—
Brandi D. Addison,
Austin American Statesman,
23 July 2025
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Generally, when dew point values climb into the 70s, the heat becomes a nuisance and feels oppressive.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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The upcoming second season promises eight episodes of more deadpan humor, soulless glares and even a Lady Gaga cameo, as Wednesday takes on another eerie supernatural mystery at Nevermore Academy.—
Grace Tucker,
The Enquirer,
29 July 2025
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What’s worse, family homes are more than soulless houses.—
James Burling,
Oc Register,
28 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Affectless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affectless. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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