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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in cruelty
disposition to willfully inflict pain and suffering on others
the gung ho heartlessness with which the secret police tortured prisoners was beyond belief
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of heartless
Henry Chu, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2025
Since then, the poster has been inundated with calls and messages accusing him of being heartless—including from her family.
—John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
Many of my family members are still upset with me even as far as calling me cruel and heartless.
—Justin Gest, Newsweek, 20 Jan. 2025
The husband suggested her friend should help with the bill, and the wife retaliated by calling him heartless and petty.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 26 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for heartless
Adjective
The pope also came in for criticism from right-wing commentators such as Rush Limbaugh, who labeled Francis a Marxist because of his blunt condemnations of heartless capitalism and the concentration of wealth in the hands of so few.
—Henry Chu, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2025
Since then, the poster has been inundated with calls and messages accusing him of being heartless—including from her family.
—John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
Many of my family members are still upset with me even as far as calling me cruel and heartless.
—Justin Gest, Newsweek, 20 Jan. 2025
The husband suggested her friend should help with the bill, and the wife retaliated by calling him heartless and petty.
—Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 26 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for heartless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for heartless
Adjective
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The ruthless, physical Panthers will get a strong Oilers squad, with Ekholm back on the back end, Skinner emphatically taking back his net from Calvin Pickard, and both McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on top of their games.—
Daniel Nugent-Bowman,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
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As with everything Banksy, siting and context are chief among the avenues of investigation into the man’s intent and into his his hilariously ruthless nocturnal execution of his art.—
Guy Martin,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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The reason Evin is infamous is because of its terribly cruel high security detention centers that are poorly supervised by the Prison Chief.—
Jeff Kaufman,
Time,
30 May 2025
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But then perhaps that is her unsatisfying but depressingly undeniable point: there is no challenging minds this small, behaviors this cruel, spirits this mean.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
30 May 2025
Noun
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Currently there are no comprehensive animal cruelty laws in China, which experts say has created a culture of impunity among cat torturers.—
Rebecca Wright,
CNN Money,
30 May 2025
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That's why the spectacular cruelty with which the cuts were carried out tanked Musk's personal brand and triggered Trump's inexorable decline in approval.—
Newsweek Staff,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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The Heat’s roller-coaster season has come to a merciless end.—
Jared Weiss,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
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This time, his assignment takes him to Serbia, as he is tasked with assassinating the merciless General Mile Valstoria (Peter Linka).—
Christopher Rudolph,
People.com,
10 May 2025
Adjective
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Lori survives the brutal events of prom night, but not without a fight.—
Jane LaCroix,
People.com,
24 May 2025
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Amid the brutal cuts across the federal government under the Trump administration, perhaps one of the most gutting is the loss of experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who respond to lead poisoning in children.—
John Timmer,
ArsTechnica,
23 May 2025
Noun
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Trump’s allusions to police brutality – the very thing demonstrators were protesting – only seemed to rile them and underscore what was at stake.—
Chelsea Bailey,
CNN Money,
24 May 2025
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The jury has seen his brutality in the harrowing video at the InterContinental Hotel and photographs of her injuries.—
Elizabeth Geddes,
Rolling Stone,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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The original 2006 film, which was adapted from Lauren Weisberger’s book of the same name, starred Meryl Streep as the powerful Miranda Priestley, Anne Hathaway as fashion newbie Andy Sachs, Emily Blunt as vicious assistant Emily and Stanley Tucci as Miranda’s right hand man Nigel.—
Rachel McRady,
People.com,
23 May 2025
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The synopsis reads: Prom season at Shadyside High is underway and the school’s wolfpack of It Girls is busy with its usual sweet and vicious campaigns for the crown.—
DeVonne Goode,
Parents,
22 May 2025
Adjective
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As savage Arctic cold was getting ready to surge south across North America, vivid imagery based on data from weather models showed us what was going to happen.—
Tom Yulsman,
Discover Magazine,
27 Dec. 2022
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The 2023 grand marshal is former Arizona Democratic congresswoman Gabby Giffords, gravely wounded in a savage mass shooting in 2011 that also killed six people.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Dec. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Heartless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/heartless. Accessed 7 Jun. 2025.
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