unfeeling

adjective

un·​feel·​ing ˌən-ˈfē-liŋ How to pronounce unfeeling (audio)
1
: devoid of feeling : insensate
an unfeeling corpse
2
: lacking kindness or sympathy : hard-hearted
an unfeeling brute
unfeelingly adverb
unfeelingness noun

Example Sentences

She says the most unfeeling things. How can you be so cold and unfeeling?
Recent Examples on the Web They are portrayed as autocratic, deaf, unfeeling, self-interested, single-minded, corporatized, and more. David Rosowsky, Forbes, 4 May 2023 Evmenova saw the position of someone like Marchenko, the city’s mayor, who had evacuated in the spring, as hypocritical and unfeeling. Joshua Yaffa, The New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2023 As an unfeeling hunk of metal that could unsettle even the most dedicated tech utopian, though, Spot never had a chance. Jess Joho, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2023 Many people agree with Warren that economic analysis can be bloodless—cold, unfeeling, and unacceptably technocratic. Cass R. Sunstein, The New York Review of Books, 7 Oct. 2022 On the legislature’s uninformed and unfeeling rejection of these fragile human beings, with the passage and override of HB11. Gordon Monson, The Salt Lake Tribune, 13 Apr. 2022 In both iterations, the Other is a robot—or at least robotic—because Western speculations about an Asianized future still rely on stereotypes of Asians as passive, unfeeling, and good at math. Jane Hu, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2022 For all the refreshing candor from Smart, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was just the opposite Monday — evasive, unfeeling, cold, and completely tone deaf in a Zoom call with reporters. BostonGlobe.com, 2 Nov. 2021 Our phones, in their unfeeling way, have seen and recorded all of this—our constant floundering toward and away from the world. Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, 1 Sep. 2021 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'unfeeling.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unfeeling was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near unfeeling

Cite this Entry

“Unfeeling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unfeeling. Accessed 4 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

unfeeling

adjective
un·​feel·​ing ˌən-ˈfē-liŋ How to pronounce unfeeling (audio)
1
: lacking feeling : insensate
2
: lacking kindness or sympathy : hard-hearted, cruel
unfeelingly adverb
unfeelingness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on unfeeling

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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