coldhearted

adjective

Definition of coldheartednext
as in icy
lacking kindness, sympathy, or sensitivity She's a smart but coldhearted woman. a coldhearted criminal a coldhearted refusal

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of coldhearted Over the course of the following nine episodes, however, Carr evolved into a coldhearted killer. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 4 Dec. 2025 Malice pits a ruthless venture capitalist (David Duchovny, lending the show its only real star power) against a coldhearted snake in the grass (Jack Whitehall’s Adam), with appropriately dark results. — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 14 Nov. 2025 Cephus ducks the Vietnam draft and does time in prison, then reluctantly skips town and heads north, to the coldhearted streets of New York. — The New Yorker, 14 June 2024 Who could blame her for wondering why, and for seeking out literally any explanation besides coldhearted rejection? — Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 20 Mar. 2024 See All Example Sentences for coldhearted
Recent Examples of Synonyms for coldhearted
  1. icy
  2. frigid
  3. cold
  4. brittle
  5. reserved
  6. heartless
  7. uncaring
  8. pitiless
Adjective
  • By contrast, cool blondes feature ash, pearl, or icy tones for a cleaner, brighter look.
    — Emma-Jade Stoddart, Glamour, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The cancellation of this upgrade has implications for some of the European Space Agency’s science missions, including a probe to Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of icy
Adjective
  • Then there is Chicago Bears fans, who pack the old, outdated Soldier Field, even in frigid temperatures, to watch a their team, despite years of futility.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Travis wound up in frigid Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of frigid
Adjective
  • The Port of Los Angeles forklift driver was wearing a life vest and was floating away, out to sea -- cold, worried about sharks and drowning.
    — Michele Gile, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • In the last week, the park has experienced harsh winds and cold temperatures overnight.
    — Jack Guy, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of cold
Adjective
  • Extending the plant’s life through 2045 means 15 more years of nuclear waste and seismic risk as the 1980s-era plant gets older and more brittle.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • After roughly 30 years, animal pelts can lose moisture and become brittle, meaning a coat that looks perfectly fine on the rack may begin to tear at stress points or shed once worn regularly.
    — Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of brittle
Adjective
  • The formula is closer to reserved + low-energy + emotionally restrained + literal + technocratic + untheatrical + less visionary + less attention-seeking.
    — Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Children ages 5 and under may enter for free, but require a reserved ticket.
    — Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of reserved
Adjective
  • As if the force itself were a heartless heart.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 19 June 2026
  • In contrast, Dessalines is typically described as violent, unthinking, emotional and heartless.
    — Julia Gaffield, The Conversation, 15 June 2026
Definition of heartless
Adjective
  • However, his team describes Fred as a tyrant, who is uncaring and belligerent and micro-manages everything.
    — Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • Other scholars, however, downplay the book’s diablerie, viewing the Pequod’s captain instead as an admirably heroic overreacher or a latter-day Prometheus facing down the gods, fate, the uncaring universe.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
Definition of uncaring
Adjective
  • Nilsson’s depiction of bodies past their prime conjures not the pitiless naturalism of Joan Semmel or Alice Neel, but something friskier, more delighted.
    — Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 2 June 2026
  • As with the others, the pitiless treatment only ends when they’re slaughtered.
    — Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 18 May 2026
Definition of pitiless

Browse Nearby Words

cold front
coldhearted
coldheartedness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Coldhearted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/coldhearted. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of august

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All