unfeeling

adjective

un·​feel·​ing ˌən-ˈfē-liŋ 

1

: devoid of feeling : insensate

an unfeeling corpse

2

: lacking kindness or sympathy : hard-hearted

an unfeeling brute

unfeelingly

ˌən-ˈfē-liŋ-lē 

adverb

unfeelingness noun

Synonyms of unfeeling

• ruthless
• merciless
• stony

Examples of unfeeling in a Sentence

She says the most unfeeling things.

How can you be so cold and unfeeling?

Recent Examples on the Web

There’d be too much sympathy in watching this cookie get pulverized by unfeeling overlords. —Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 26 Feb. 2026

For example, 1975’s Welfare carefully documents the hoops that working people had to jump through to obtain welfare benefits at New York’s Waverly Welfare Center, representing the government as an intractable and unfeeling force. —Vikram Murthi, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2026

Then, the men had to walk around as these unfeeling, aggressive, hyper-masculine creatures. —Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 28 May 2025

So much modern football is mechanical and unfeeling; Joao Felix is loose and breezy. —Jack Lang, The Athletic, 9 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for unfeeling

• annealing
• appealing
• concealing
• congealing
• freewheeling
• repealing
• revealing
• ceiling
• dealing
• feeling
• healing
• heeling

Kids Definition

unfeeling

adjective

un·​feel·​ing ˌən-ˈfē-liŋ 

1

: lacking feeling : insensate

2

: lacking kindness or sympathy : hard-hearted, cruel

unfeelingly adverb

unfeelingness noun