1
as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings
an affectless analysis of the cost of the war purely in pecuniary terms
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in stoic
not feeling or showing emotion
the accused remained affectless throughout the long trial
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of affectless
The use of an A.I. program to replicate Warhol’s flat, affectless speech to read the diary entries had a strangely fitting logic.
—
Steve Dollar, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2022
His paintings borrowed aspects of photographic vision (arbitrary cropping, dissonant overlap) and even photographic sensibility (cool, affectless, mechanical).
—Washington Post, 20 Jan. 2021
Mumblecore veteran Sheil, with her Raphaelite curtain of hair and almost affectless voice, can be an opaque heroine, and the plot, as far as there is one, feels halting at first, the dialogue choppy and unreal.
—Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 30 July 2020
Johnny Flynn’s affectless monotone was crisp, clear, and cheery.
—Adrienne So, Wired, 1 Apr. 2020
See All Example Sentences for affectless
Steve Dollar, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2022
His paintings borrowed aspects of photographic vision (arbitrary cropping, dissonant overlap) and even photographic sensibility (cool, affectless, mechanical).
—Washington Post, 20 Jan. 2021
Mumblecore veteran Sheil, with her Raphaelite curtain of hair and almost affectless voice, can be an opaque heroine, and the plot, as far as there is one, feels halting at first, the dialogue choppy and unreal.
—Leah Greenblatt, EW.com, 30 July 2020
Johnny Flynn’s affectless monotone was crisp, clear, and cheery.
—Adrienne So, Wired, 1 Apr. 2020
See All Example Sentences for affectless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for affectless
Adjective
-
Confronting Iran’s ruthless campaign of terror, nuclear ambitions, and regional aggression demands strength, resolve, and strategic clarity.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
21 June 2025
-
Michael Fassbender plays the deceased Apple guru — a flawed, ruthless, but ultimately compassionate soul.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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The stoic Eleanor McCallister has crossed paths with Harry Vanderspeigle a few times over, but never has their reunion been so revealing and emotional.—
Nick Caruso,
TVLine,
21 June 2025
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Considering the stress of losing – the Braves lead the majors in one-run losses – the stoic manager might be ready to hang up his uniform.—
Dan Schlossberg,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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But in the face of an increasingly merciless healthcare system, the battered team must put aside their differences and pull together to save lives.—
Lynette Rice,
Deadline,
4 Feb. 2025
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The film is cold-bloodedly whimsical, asking the audience to root for a merciless man who endeavors, ever so incrementally, to understand some deeper human truths.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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There's also an interesting shot toward the end of the trailer with Ben Grimm sporting what appears to be a stony beard as the Human Torch carries him.—
Michileen Martin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
25 June 2025
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His stony reaction to the red card in the moment did not betray any sense of injustice.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
21 June 2025
Adjective
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The title, in Muslim eschatology, refers to a narrow bridge between Paradise and Hell, which is fitting, insofar as Laxe’s movie is both a nightmarish experience and an exhilarating one—a pitiless ordeal that is nonetheless underpinned by extraordinary love and tenderness.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
26 May 2025
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Gilroy drew upon his lifelong study of historical revolutions to inform the show’s interweaving storylines of payroll heists and gulag escapes, street riots and false flag operations, squabbling freedom fighters and pitiless secret police.—
Adam B. Vary,
Variety,
13 May 2025
Adjective
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The decision to leave Iran was driven by the oppressive changes following the Iranian Revolution in 1979 concerning the treatment of women.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2025
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In April 1989, pro-democracy students began protesting against the Chinese Communist government’s oppressive restrictions on freedom of speech and democratic values.—
Michelle Steel,
Oc Register,
9 June 2025
Adjective
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What might have been viewed as soulless became its own kind of soul.—
Jose Valentino Ruiz,
The Conversation,
13 June 2025
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On the other end, a pair of soulless black eyes looked out beneath a headset of antennae that reminded me of … something.—
Mark Gauert,
Sun Sentinel,
8 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Affectless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/affectless. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.
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