heartless

adjective

heart·​less ˈhärt-ləs How to pronounce heartless (audio)
1
archaic : spiritless
2
: lacking feeling : cruel
heartlessly adverb
heartlessness noun

Examples of heartless in a Sentence

a heartless boss who would fire people for missing work, even if they were sick as a dog a heartless enemy that takes no prisoners
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
An 18-year-old woman was fighting for her life after being thrown off the back of a moped during a Bronx crash early Saturday — a crash her heartless moped driver raced away from, cops said. Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 21 June 2025 Cardellini is the essence of warmth and smarts, and Campbell Scott offers a commanding cameo as a snooty but not heartless food critic. Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 8 May 2025 Yanking the rug out from under thousands of foreigners who often risked life and limb to find a safe haven in America is an unconscionable act of heartless, anti-humanitarian gall on the part of Donald Trump and his minions. Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 9 June 2025 Though mean-spirited, the jester Rigoletto — Verdi’s hapless, vengeful hunchback — wins our hearts as the outsider whom a heartless world so often abuses. Mark Swed, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for heartless

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of heartless was in the 14th century

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Cite this Entry

“Heartless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/heartless. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

heartless

adjective
heart·​less ˈhärt-ləs How to pronounce heartless (audio)
heartlessly adverb
heartlessness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on heartless

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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