thick-skinned

adjective

ˈthik-ˌskind 

1

: having a thick skin : pachydermatous

2

a

: callous, insensitive

b

: impervious to criticism

became thick-skinned about his own work

Synonyms

• affectless
• callous
• case-hardened
• cold-blooded
• compassionless
• desensitized
• hard
• hard-boiled
• hard-hearted
• heartless
• indurate
• inhuman
• inhumane
• insensate
• insensitive
• ironhearted
• merciless
• obdurate
• pachydermatous
• pitiless
• remorseless
• ruthless
• slash-and-burn
• soulless
• stony
• stoney
• stonyhearted
• take-no-prisoners
• uncharitable
• unfeeling
• unmerciful
• unsparing
• unsympathetic

Examples of thick-skinned in a Sentence

was so thick-skinned that she was clueless about the fact that the joke had hurt her friend's feelings

Recent Examples on the Web

The formidable thick-skinned, long-furred beast occupied the mammoth steppe, a cold-dry grassland biome that existed during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). —Conor Feehly, Discover Magazine, 26 June 2024

Its small, thick-skinned berries make wine with strong tannins and high acidity, two components that aide in Cabernet Sauvignon’s ability to age. —Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 28 Mar. 2024

Haley has chosen instead to cast herself as a fighter who happens to be a woman, someone thick-skinned yet self-aware. —Daniel Foster, National Review, 30 Nov. 2023

Thousands of apple varieties—crunchy, thick-skinned Fujis, which originated in Japan in the 1930s; aromatic Galas; and rare Pink Pearls—exist in the world today, many of them bred for their distinct flavor, color and texture. —Laura Kiniry, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Dec. 2023

Thankfully, the lake is ideal for thick-skinned lesser flamingos who visit the spot to put on weight before finding their mates. —Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 17 Nov. 2023

The thick-skinned Russets absorb seasonings, butter, and cream better than any other potato. —Patricia S York, Southern Living, 10 Oct. 2023

My fridge is loaded with six varieties of grapes right now — some thick-skinned, super-sweet Japanese mini-globe-like jewels; pounds of Thomcords; and some good ol’ table grapes. —Ben Mims, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2023

Winged Gourd These small, thick-skinned gourds display irregular winged surfaces and may be warty or smooth. —Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Sep. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1545, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

thick-skinned

adjective

-ˈskind

1

: having a thick skin

2

: not easily bothered by criticism or insult