as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings
the callous comment "It's just a fish," when the boy's pet died, made him cry
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of callous
His actions suggest a lack of integrity or, worse, a callous disregard for your professional well-being and reputation.
—
R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 29 May 2026
Scrape the green tissue away as well so the area won’t callous.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 19 May 2026
As Tiffany, Brittany Bradford can turn on a dime from hilarious (in her college open mic-night debut) to callous and cold.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Drenched in sweat from the heat, Pickford would burn through work gloves and callous his hands.
—Scott Wheeler, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for callous
R. Eric Thomas, Denver Post, 29 May 2026
Scrape the green tissue away as well so the area won’t callous.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 19 May 2026
As Tiffany, Brittany Bradford can turn on a dime from hilarious (in her college open mic-night debut) to callous and cold.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Apr. 2026
Drenched in sweat from the heat, Pickford would burn through work gloves and callous his hands.
—Scott Wheeler, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for callous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for callous
Adjective
-
Serenity Maggie’s (and Sweet Magnolias‘) trip to New York was cut short as Season 5 offered a juxtaposition between small-town values and ruthless big-city corporate culture.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
11 June 2026
-
Ruffalo will voice Nero, a scrappy black cat, and Fishburne will play Rocco, a ruthless cat mob boss.—
Jordan Moreau,
Variety,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Having catalogued the Black Death’s horrifying effects, Ibn Khatima went on to outline a series of preventative measures and active treatments designed to combat this merciless scourge.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 May 2026
-
The jokes on social media will be endless, and opposing fans will be merciless.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 May 2026
Adjective
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Oscar Wilde, for example, reposes beneath a hulking deity whose iconoclastic castration, back in 1961, did little to restrain pilgrims seeking to smear red lips across his stony physique.—
Emily Cox,
ARTnews.com,
22 May 2026
-
Instead of looking like a sleek urban loft, the room can quickly start to feel cold, stony, and impersonal.—
Natasha Bazika,
Martha Stewart,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Callous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/callous. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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