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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in numb
lacking in sensation or feeling
fingers rendered insensitive by the cold
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of insensitive
Complaints included that the fantasy story’s depiction of a slavery system not based on skin color was racially insensitive and amounted to cultural appropriation.
—
Kevin Dickinson, Big Think, 2 Sep. 2025
Dynamic microphones are notoriously insensitive and often require an audio interface with a preamp to be fully cranked up.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Critics argue the new allowance is not only excessive but also insensitive at a time when most people are grappling with soaring living costs and taxes and rising unemployment.
—CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2025
However, if a storm is so deadly or costly that reusing its name would be inappropriate or insensitive, the name is retired permanently and replaced with a new one starting with the same letter.
—Amanda Castro
hannah Parry
anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for insensitive
Kevin Dickinson, Big Think, 2 Sep. 2025
Dynamic microphones are notoriously insensitive and often require an audio interface with a preamp to be fully cranked up.
—Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Critics argue the new allowance is not only excessive but also insensitive at a time when most people are grappling with soaring living costs and taxes and rising unemployment.
—CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2025
However, if a storm is so deadly or costly that reusing its name would be inappropriate or insensitive, the name is retired permanently and replaced with a new one starting with the same letter.
—Amanda Castro
hannah Parry
anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for insensitive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insensitive
Adjective
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Tracey recalls how her ruthless daughter sought revenge on her father, classmates and Laura.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
-
In the epic Emperor Kisra (Kingsley) has a reputation for being utterly ruthless.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Having weathered so many punches heretofore, the viewer is more likely to be numb than moved.—
Derek Robertson,
The Washington Examiner,
5 Sep. 2025
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During Covid, the world felt numb and dystopian.—
Kim Gordon,
Rolling Stone,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
If Hollow Knight was demanding, Silksong is merciless.—
Keller Gordon,
NPR,
8 Sep. 2025
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In 1918, Bolshevik secret police forced Anastasia Romanov and her imperial family into a damp basement to face a merciless firing squad.—
Ashlee Conour,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Tennant costars in The Thursday Murder Club as Ian Ventham, the callous, money-hungry co-owner of Coopers Chase.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
28 Aug. 2025
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The New Yorker’s Talk writer was similarly blinkered and callous, treating Grey like a consenting partner and Chaplin as a dual victim, of his mother-in-law’s venality and of Middle America’s moral prejudices.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Downstairs, at the other end of the house, the kids were asleep in their beds, and Lacey was all the way across town in the hospital with their new brother.—
T. Coraghessan Boyle,
New Yorker,
14 Sep. 2025
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While most people are fast asleep, one mother is already up and about—and her unusual morning schedule has gone viral on Instagram.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The fourth episode depicts him as a negligent and emotionally abusive lover to Satan, further connecting him to the show’s previous portrayals of Saddam Hussein.—
Nick Marx,
The Conversation,
11 Sep. 2025
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This all in spite of Johanne’s best efforts to present Johanna in the most radiant of lights, a fact Johanna deems as abusive more than flattering.—
Harrison Richlin,
IndieWire,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The greatest accusation levied against her is the crime of being an unfeeling mother.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
11 Aug. 2025
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Then, the men had to walk around as these unfeeling, aggressive, hyper-masculine creatures.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
28 May 2025
Adjective
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Consider how closed captioning, originally developed for deaf and hard-of-hearing users, now benefits millions in noisy environments or when audio isn't available.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
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Just hard to think that’ll happen coming off the Jacksonville blowout.—
Mike Kaye,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Insensitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insensitive. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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