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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in numb
lacking in sensation or feeling
fingers rendered insensitive by the cold
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of insensitive
But some people criticized the lavish affair — which included a gold carriage procession and a display of the monarchy’s jewels — as an insensitive extravagance while millions across the country were struggling financially.
—
Anna Cooban, CNN, 22 Nov. 2024
Others, however, slammed those reactions as insensitive, saying that a killing isn't justified and that acts of violence should be denounced.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
Yet Schrader seems insensitive to the sorrow and sagacity that John Huston made palpable in his adaptation of Under the Volcano by another Canadian author, Malcolm Lowery.
—Armond White, National Review, 25 Dec. 2024
The bill drew sharp criticism from Democrats on the committee, who argued that parents should have the opportunity to opt their children out of the training, and that the training could be insensitive to students who have had past or familial experiences with gun violence.
—Vivian Jones, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for insensitive 
Anna Cooban, CNN, 22 Nov. 2024
Others, however, slammed those reactions as insensitive, saying that a killing isn't justified and that acts of violence should be denounced.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2024
Yet Schrader seems insensitive to the sorrow and sagacity that John Huston made palpable in his adaptation of Under the Volcano by another Canadian author, Malcolm Lowery.
—Armond White, National Review, 25 Dec. 2024
The bill drew sharp criticism from Democrats on the committee, who argued that parents should have the opportunity to opt their children out of the training, and that the training could be insensitive to students who have had past or familial experiences with gun violence.
—Vivian Jones, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for insensitive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insensitive
Adjective
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The lawyer who normally practices in New York is gregarious, quick with a joke and always happy to talk to the media, but can be ruthless in cross-examination.—
Andrew Dalton,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Jan. 2025
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City are going through some stuff, Arsenal aren’t ruthless enough, Chelsea are wobbling, teams will figure out how to beat Nottingham Forest soon enough, Newcastle are the form team now but are an Alexander Isak injury away from trouble.—
Carl Anka,
The Athletic,
16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Get weather and fire alerts via text:Sign up to get current wildfire updates by location 'Everybody at this point is just numb' Jimmy Dunne, a longtime Palisades resident who raised his children in the area, was one of the lucky ones.—
Isaiah Murtaugh,
USA TODAY,
10 Jan. 2025
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After a while, the doctor becomes almost empathetically numb or oblivious to the emotional state of the next patient that comes in the door.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The funniest movie ever made about the experience of being snubbed for an Oscar nomination, For Your Consideration found Christopher Guest and company moving away from their patented mockumentary format for this hilarious and merciless satire.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
22 Jan. 2025
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But some part of her yearns to be merciless—to make all these women confess.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harper's Magazine,
2 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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You son’s reaction is needlessly callous, to you and to your friend.—
R. Eric Thomas,
The Mercury News,
9 Jan. 2025
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Postponing means the people behind this callous attack win.—
Jackson Thompson,
Fox News,
1 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Once the clock strikes 12, much of the TV audience is asleep, especially older viewers who make up the bulk of the news audience.—
Stephen Battaglio,
Los Angeles Times,
22 Jan. 2025
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This way, her team could get a fairly precise idea about the brain fluid dynamics when mice were awake and asleep.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Anthony was ‘Unstoppable’ during his ‘Hell Week’ initiation at Arizona State When his abusive prison guard stepfather, Rick (Bobby Cannavale), leaves the family, Anthony turns down a full ride at Drexel University to stay at home and help his mother.—
Brian Truitt,
USA TODAY,
16 Jan. 2025
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This could include advising your child to block individuals who display abusive behaviors and report such violations to the gaming platform.—
Mia Taylor,
Parents,
16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Human failings amidst an unfeeling snowpocalypse make for some engaging scenes.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
22 Dec. 2024
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The author renders the four-year-old Margaret’s inner life with sensitive complexity, depicting an alert child logic that defies adults’ view of her as slow and unfeeling.—
The New Yorker,
The New Yorker,
12 June 2024
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
Thesaurus Entries Near insensitive
Cite this Entry
“Insensitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insensitive. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
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