1
as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings
a heartless boss who would fire people for missing work, even if they were sick as a dog
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cruel
having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others
his heartless whipping of runaway slaves virtually to the point of death shocked even other slave owners
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of heartless
Short of stealing the hedgehog from the girls, Lilian could do nothing to stop them from obtaining heartless pleasure from its helplessness, just as the world did nothing to save the girls or many other children.
—
Yiyun Li, The New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2025
To some observers, the incessant joking was the sort of heartless mirth that social media had been running on for decades.
—Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2025
The film depicts heartless wealth, social class and the dehumanizing treatment workers receive in the hands of the ultra-rich.
—Tomris Laffly, Variety, 12 Feb. 2025
The heartless stunt came weeks after the death of 57-year-old homeless woman Debrina Kawam, who police say was set on fire by 33-year-old Guatemalan migrant Sabastian Zapeta at the Coney Island-Stillwell Ave. station on Dec. 22.
—Elizabeth Keogh, New York Daily News, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heartless
Yiyun Li, The New Yorker, 9 Mar. 2025
To some observers, the incessant joking was the sort of heartless mirth that social media had been running on for decades.
—Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2025
The film depicts heartless wealth, social class and the dehumanizing treatment workers receive in the hands of the ultra-rich.
—Tomris Laffly, Variety, 12 Feb. 2025
The heartless stunt came weeks after the death of 57-year-old homeless woman Debrina Kawam, who police say was set on fire by 33-year-old Guatemalan migrant Sabastian Zapeta at the Coney Island-Stillwell Ave. station on Dec. 22.
—Elizabeth Keogh, New York Daily News, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for heartless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heartless
Adjective
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Whoever sells the most wins a car; whoever sells the least is out of a job – a ruthless environment where each character will do anything to come out on top.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
17 Mar. 2025
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The film, inspired by the true story of a ruthless Hawaiian crime boss, promises to be a gripping portrayal of organized crime in the island paradise.—
Mark Davis,
Newsweek,
15 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Michael, in a filmed conversation with Grace, claimed that his ex-wife had manipulated him and was cruel to Natalia.—
Fortesa Latifi,
Rolling Stone,
19 Mar. 2025
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In Season 2, a cruel winter brings new challenges and unfinished business to Jacob (Harrison Ford) and Cara (Helen Mirren) back at Dutton ranch.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The counterpoint to Pritzker’s light touch on Schumer is Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who has been merciless in her disapproval of Schumer’s decision.—
Philip Elliott,
TIME,
19 Mar. 2025
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Alas, this humble superfood has become rare and coveted in recent years, particularly during the past couple of months due to the merciless outbreaks of avian influenza.—
Catharine Kaufman,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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And often times that can yield lead to some brutal consequences.—
Jeryl Brunner,
Forbes,
23 Mar. 2025
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Even without snow, the drop in temperature alone can be brutal.—
Elizabeth Medeiros,
Health,
22 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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This creates a vicious cycle: more applications lead to lower acceptance rates, triggering even more applications from worried students.—
Sarah Hernholm,
Forbes,
22 Mar. 2025
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However, some people develop unhelpful habits and ways of thinking about sleep that create a vicious cycle, said Krieger, who is also director of the Center for Sleep Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine and NewYork-Presbyterian.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN,
19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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As savage Arctic cold was getting ready to surge south across North America, vivid imagery based on data from weather models showed us what was going to happen.—
Tom Yulsman,
Discover Magazine,
27 Dec. 2022
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The 2023 grand marshal is former Arizona Democratic congresswoman Gabby Giffords, gravely wounded in a savage mass shooting in 2011 that also killed six people.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Dec. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Heartless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heartless. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
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