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
  • Arsenal created more than enough to help themselves to a bunch of goals in Naples, only to get stuck in anti-ruthless mode.
    — Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Authorities raided the building and found the entrance to a tunnel controlled by the ruthless Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
    — Steve Fisher, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of ruthless
Adjective
  • More than 3,000 shows and a sizable cult following later, The Dark Room has evolved into a choose-your-own-adventure live action video game, presided over by Robertson as its obscene, merciless and incredibly quick-witted host.
    — Rebecca Rosman, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026
  • In Braun’s script, the merciless obstacle course of singlehood seems just absurd.
    — Faith Hill, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 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
  • As documented in a pair of articles published earlier this month in the daily newspaper Der Standard, the controversy is wrapped up in the insensitive way in which the show is being marketed.
    — Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Video of the incident was widely circulated on social media platforms like X, with Gibson condemned for his insensitive actions.
    — Zack Sharf, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of insensitive
Adjective
  • The doc is similarly unflinching in showing the horrific scene from 1900 in which Donald Sutherland’s sadistic fascist murders a young boy in a shockingly callous way, while Laura Betti as his equal in cruelty dissolves into blood-curdling cackles.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Just not as much as the callous bosses who created this indefensible, toxic situation and the fanatics who once cheered it.
    — Candace Buckner, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of callous
Adjective
  • Will his veteran line trust him to have the answers when things get hard?
    — Ted Nguyen, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • The death of country music, movie, theme park and, frankly, all-around icon Dolly Parton hit a lot of people hard.
    — Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of hard

Browse Nearby Words

deselects
desensitized
desert
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Cite this Entry

“Desensitized.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desensitized. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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