Synonyms of heartless

heartless

adjective

ˈhärt-ləs 

1

as in ruthless

having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings

a heartless boss who would fire people for missing work, even if they were sick as a dog

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ruthless
• merciless
• stony
• callous
• abusive
• pitiless
• cruel
• hard
• compassionless
• unfeeling
• soulless
• oppressive
• hard-hearted
• hateful
• inhumane
• harsh
• inhuman
• insensitive
• malicious
• brutal
• remorseless
• unsympathetic
• vicious
• uncharitable
• unmerciful
• stern
• tough
• grim
• obdurate
• cold-blooded
• insensate
• affectless
• thick-skinned
• unsparing
• slash-and-burn
• take-no-prisoners
• indurate
• uncaring
• pachydermatous
• desensitized
• hard-boiled
• severe
• savage
• thoughtless
• case-hardened
• inconsiderate
• mean
• unthinking
• boorish
• ironhearted
• unloving
• spiteful
• rough
• unfriendly
• heedless
• stonyhearted
• ungentle
• malevolent
• cold
• disagreeable
• virulent
• surly
• heavy-handed
• brutish
• bestial
• barbarous
• rough-and-tumble
• ill-natured
• jackbooted
• acrimonious
• ironfisted
• ironhanded
• evil-minded
• rancorous
• hard-bitten
• sledgehammer
• ill-tempered
• frosty
• austere
• knock-down, drag-out

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sympathetic
• warm
• charitable
• sensitive
• compassionate
• merciful
• humane
• benevolent
• gentle
• kind
• kindly
• mild
• tender
• kindhearted
• softhearted
• lenient
• indulgent
• friendly
• warmhearted
• tenderhearted
• gracious
• cordial
• benignant
• loving
• tolerant
• affectionate
• good-natured
• understanding
• fond
• good-tempered
• clement

2

as in cruel

having or showing the desire to inflict severe pain and suffering on others

his heartless whipping of runaway slaves virtually to the point of death shocked even other slave owners

Synonyms & Similar Words

• cruel
• brutal
• vicious
• savage
• ruthless
• sadistic
• murderous
• merciless
• inhuman
• inhumane
• barbaric
• barbarous
• brute
• ferocious
• atrocious
• oppressive
• truculent
• fiendish
• harsh
• hateful
• pitiless
• malicious
• unfeeling
• butcherly
• wanton
• red in tooth and claw
• bloodthirsty
• hard-hearted
• grim
• vindictive
• fell
• spiteful
• malignant
• malevolent
• cutthroat
• sanguinary
• malign
• draconian
• sanguine
• ironhearted
• mean
• nasty
• despiteful
• stonyhearted
• catty
• draconic
• heavy-handed
• hardhanded

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• sympathetic
• compassionate
• benign
• kind
• humane
• warm
• kindhearted
• charitable
• good-hearted
• merciful
• tenderhearted
• benignant
• tender
• lenient
• pitying
• warmhearted
• peaceful
• peaceable
• pacific
• clement

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of heartless

The script, by Ed Solomon, treats the Sklar siblings as cardboard grotesques—heartless, talentless, united in their loathing of a father who loathes them right back. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026

Where the latter brought incredible jokes and plenty of heart, the former is purposefully heartless and half-intentionally predictable. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 17 Mar. 2026

The $31 million bill will override a heartless funding cut by the state Department of Health and, for now, avoids a potential life-or-death situation for about 11,000 people in Florida. — Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 Mar. 2026

Kane was a fan favorite heroine-villain female fictional character who may have appeared heartless on the show at times. — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes.com, 28 Feb. 2026