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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in numb
lacking in sensation or feeling
fingers rendered insensitive by the cold
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of insensitive
Anything from a past stance your company took to a past ad that hasn’t aged well might be considered insensitive today.
—
Jason Miller, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
Leopold is there with his insensitive wife Belinda (Leoni) and their wise-cracking son Shepard, Poulter’s character who critics have crowned the movie’s scene-stealer.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 10 Mar. 2025
Technically, that means screenwriter Lars Jacobson is the insensitive one here, not Nathan.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 8 Mar. 2025
Popular novelist Sophie Lark's upcoming book, Sparrow and Vine, has been pulled after lines from it circulated on social media and were accused by some of praising billionaire Elon Musk or being racially insensitive.
—Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for insensitive
Jason Miller, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025
Leopold is there with his insensitive wife Belinda (Leoni) and their wise-cracking son Shepard, Poulter’s character who critics have crowned the movie’s scene-stealer.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 10 Mar. 2025
Technically, that means screenwriter Lars Jacobson is the insensitive one here, not Nathan.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 8 Mar. 2025
Popular novelist Sophie Lark's upcoming book, Sparrow and Vine, has been pulled after lines from it circulated on social media and were accused by some of praising billionaire Elon Musk or being racially insensitive.
—Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for insensitive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insensitive
Adjective
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But when the ruthless Mafia boss Nicola Grimaldi discovers his young son has been kidnapped and murdered, the suspect and Grimaldi’s former friend Vito seeks refuge with police.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
9 Apr. 2025
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The way to move up in your organization might require being ruthless.—
Roberta Matuson,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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This includes drugs like lidocaine, which is used to numb pain.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2025
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Regarding driving dynamics, the LT is tuned for non-enthusiasts—the steering is numb and lifeless, and the cornering grip is average.—
Michael Harley,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Inspired by Lauren’s late mother, Adele, who was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at the age of 55, their family knows that this merciless disease is no laughing matter.—
Jeff Conway,
Forbes.com,
17 Apr. 2025
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Lottie proposes that Natalie be stripped of her title and that the merciless and vicious Shauna should lead them instead.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The similarly futile attempts to portray John Walker as a flawed but good man, despite his callous rage and murderous tendencies?—
Nola Pfau,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2025
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For as much as the creative class is often associated with liberal thinking, the American far-right (and its grassroots, the Christian Right) has, through callous striving and norm-shattering effort, been motivated by a spark of Machiavellian imagination.—
Newsweek Staff,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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At least two of the victims were asleep at the start of the attack, according to authorities.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
17 Apr. 2025
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That’s a waste of a lot of daylight when most of us are asleep.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The group of former Northwestern football players have reportedly agreed to settle their lawsuits against the school, which alleged hazing and abusive behavior.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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In a 1993 interview with the Los Angeles Daily News, North said his aunt Marie Hopper — who served as his guardian when his mother was working — was physically and emotionally abusive.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Tabo turns, in his mother’s eyes, into a cold and unfeeling stone.—
Robert Rubsam,
The Atlantic,
24 Mar. 2025
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So much modern football is mechanical and unfeeling; Joao Felix is loose and breezy.—
Jack Lang,
The Athletic,
9 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Sandoval has received some pay bumps, including a temporary $10,000-a-year bonus for Hawaii special education teachers designed to alleviate shortages in that and other hard-to-staff areas.—
Alia Wong,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2023
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Whether those numbers are an overstatement, or possibly an understatement, is hard to say.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
13 Feb. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Insensitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insensitive. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
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