HARD-HEARTEDNESS Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

hard-heartedness

noun

as in heartlessness

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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 hard-heartedness Tarr's reputation for films tinged with misery and hard-heartedness, distinguished by black-and-white cinematography and unusually long sequences, only grew throughout the 1990s and 2000s, particularly after his 1994 film Sátántangó. — Alina Edwards, NPR, 6 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hard-heartedness

Noun

These young graduates start out naive about the heartlessness of the corporate world and harbor illusory hopes for success in unforgiving professions.

— George Packer, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
The lives of the two children in the story, aged fourteen and four, are portrayed as being as fleeting as the fireflies, and the story is an unsentimental and unflinching account with moments of both tenderness and heartlessness.

— Ginny Tapley Takemori September 4, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025

Definition of heartlessness

Noun

Perhaps the greatest testament to Morocco’s obduracy came late in normal time, when Rodri — a central midfielder being deployed as a central defender — strode forward and shot, more in hope than in expectation, from 35 yards.

— Rory Smith, New York Times, 6 Dec. 2022
But a year later, more than two dozen of them remain stuck in Afghanistan, stalled by bureaucratic wrangling, the vagaries of international diplomacy and the obduracy of the Taliban government.

— Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2022

Definition of obduracy

Noun

In a variation on her character from Parasite, Cho deftly underplays Yi-je’s insensitivity as another woman projecting a blithe lack of awareness of her privilege.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2026
Sherman is known to savage, with unglamorous insensitivity, the vaunted creative directors of the great houses.

— Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of insensitivity

Noun

Chrysoberyl is a rare gemstone prized for its exceptional hardness and brilliance, known for its honey and chartreuse hues that shift under the light, making Khaled’s one-of-a-kind watch shine that much brighter.

— Taylor Stoddard, Robb Report, 21 Oct. 2026
Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, measuring about 5 on the Mohs hardness scale, which is higher than some types of iron and steel, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

— Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of hardness

Noun

Palestinian voters abstain for reasons ranging from apathy to a deliberate boycott of the state established through their people’s dispossession.

— Tamir Sorek, The Conversation, 20 Oct. 2026
Maybe the Dodger fans, who showed striking apathy in the playoffs, will return to their post-dynasty roars because of this.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of apathy

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hard-heartedly

hard-heartedness

hardihood

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“Hard-heartedness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hard-heartedness. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of hard-heartedness

noun

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