thick-skinned

adjective

1
: having a thick skin : pachydermatous
2
b
: impervious to criticism
became thick-skinned about his own work

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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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

Time Traveler
The first known use of thick-skinned was circa 1545

Dictionary Entries Near thick-skinned

Cite this Entry

“Thick-skinned.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thick-skinned. Accessed 14 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

thick-skinned

adjective
-ˈskind
1
: having a thick skin
2
: not easily bothered by criticism or insult

More from Merriam-Webster on thick-skinned

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!