as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings
was so thick-skinned that she was clueless about the fact that the joke had hurt her friend's feelings
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Recent Examples of thick-skinned
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thick-skinned
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
-
However, his plans to go straight are threatened when his final heist spirals out of control, pulling him into a deadly game of survival against ruthless criminals—including the unhinged Bats (Jamie Foxx) and the wild coupling of Buddy (Jon Hamm) and Darling (Eiza González).—
Travis Bean,
Forbes,
15 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Back then, residents of the burgeoning Los Angeles area had no idea a merciless killer was lurking in their midst until Feb. 2, 1928, when the headless, naked body of a teenage boy was found in a ditch on a dusty road near the sleepy suburb of La Puente.—
KC Baker,
People.com,
15 Mar. 2025
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The draft being held in Pittsburgh meant the Flyers were subject to merciless booing.—
Joshua Kloke,
The Athletic,
8 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Sam Teicher, chief reef officer at Coral Vita, emphasized in an email interview that decades of degradation have wiped out at least 80% of the Bahamas' coral reefs, a crisis exacerbated by events like Hurricane Dorian and the spread of stony coral tissue loss disease.—
Emese Maczko,
Forbes,
12 Mar. 2025
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There was some stony silence that seemed to annoy Trump.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
8 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Thick-skinned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thick-skinned. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
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