desensitized

adjective

as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings having lived through the horrors of war, the soldiers had seemingly become desensitized to virtually all human suffering

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 desensitized Although today’s audiences might be more desensitized to such gruesome scenes thanks to hyperrealistic special effects in modern horror movies, and the commonplace spread of graphic clips online, audiences of the ‘80s were reportedly traumatized and scandalized. — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026 While the effects of violent media on viewers are notoriously hard to study, some evidence suggests that some audiences can become desensitized to the real-world consequences of unhealthy and violent content. — Cynthia Chris, The Conversation, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desensitized
  1. ruthless
  2. merciless
  3. stony
  4. insensitive
  5. callous
  6. hard
Adjective
  • For Arsenal, the mission to create their best possible squad for depth and quality requires some upgrades in certain areas, and Berta won’t mind being ruthless if a sacrifice here leads to a new crowning there.
    — Kaya Kaynak, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Her portrayal of Abby Cunningham on Knots Landing helped define the prime-time soap’s appeal, with the character’s romances becoming just as talked about as her ruthless ambition.
    — Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of ruthless
Adjective
  • In Braun’s script, the merciless obstacle course of singlehood seems just absurd.
    — Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Regehr was relentless and merciless, and Oilers fans had to witness it over and over again.
    — Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 25 July 2026
Definition of merciless
Adjective
  • 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
Definition of stony
Adjective
  • Many assumed that Ramée was white, and believed that his comment was not only cringe but also insensitive.
    — Owen Carry, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026
  • The filing alleged Flores deceptively edited the recordings to hide his own insensitive remarks and suggested he was motivated by a desire to win a large legal settlement in court.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of insensitive
Adjective
  • Trump and his people operated under the kind of paranoia and callous disregard for military and civilian lives that have characterized the president’s time in office.
    — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Although humanity’s salvation may appear to come in fits and starts, God’s healing influence always penetrates and gets through callous self-righteousness and indifference.
    — Mark Swinney, Christian Science Monitor, 21 July 2026
Definition of callous
Adjective
  • For the last six years, Six has lived as a recluse in Amsterdam, lying in bed and going out twice a day for decaf coffee (the regular brew is too hard on his shattered nerves).
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
  • That could make a huge difference in remote communities where fuel is hard to find and dependable electricity cannot be taken for granted.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of hard

Browse Nearby Words

deselects
desensitized
desert
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Desensitized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desensitized. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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