insensibility

noun

Definition of insensibilitynext
1
as in numbness
a lack of emotion or emotional expressiveness the husband's general insensibility is creating great tension in the marriage

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in trance
a temporary state of unconsciousness knocked into insensibility by the blow to the head

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 insensibility The famous Lord Chesterfield[5] counselled his son that he should never be seen to laugh; and that gravity with real or apparent insensibility is a universal characteristic of the savage. — Literary Hub, 1 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insensibility
  1. numbness
  2. trance
  3. apathy
  4. daze
  5. emptiness
  6. faint
  7. coldness
  8. syncope
Noun
  • The 53-year-old senator experienced numbness in his arm Saturday afternoon while at his son’s hockey game, according to Allison Herwitt, the senator’s chief of staff in a statement Sunday.
    — Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Other important symptoms of a stroke are a severe headache, confusion and numbness on one side of the body.
    — Diane Webber, NPR, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of numbness
Noun
  • Alternately peacocking and vulnerable, Technology blends trance, ghettotech and world sounds to craft a soundscape beautifully suited for late nights – whether that means packed clubs or your bedroom alone at three in the morning.
    — Joe Lynch, Billboard, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The name is a portmanteau of Goa trance, a subgenre of electronic music designer Carl Blakeslee had been listening to while working on the boot, and the Lava Dome silhouette that served as a precursor to ACG.
    — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of trance
Noun
  • And for a franchise built on passionate online debate from a vocal fandom, apathy is a death knell.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Their level of apathy and absenteeism will spell the difference between a good and a great night for Democrats.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of apathy
Noun
  • Some waved the Israeli flag, colored pink to signify resistance; others walked around in a daze.
    — Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The video then cuts back to Allen, bloodied and walking through the parking lot in a daze.
    — Joseph Serna, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of daze
Noun
  • Carson’s account of desire helps explain why this creed leads to two kinds of emptiness.
    — Stacy Keltner, The Conversation, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Such stylish emptiness is daunting, and one doesn’t envy those who are now being encouraged to try it on for size.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of emptiness
Noun
  • Starting and running a business isn’t for the faint of heart.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • Some of the stadium prices aren’t for the faint of heart, with a water alone almost costing $10 and a birria quesadilla almost $30.
    — Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 June 2026
Definition of faint
Noun
  • The house was a metaphor for the coldness of a relationship that’s faded and atrophied.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 28 Sep. 2026
  • The danger occurs if that ruthlessness veers into institutional coldness.
    — James McNicholas, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of coldness
Noun
  • The company also flags baseline cardiac disease, abnormal ECG, arrhythmia, prior cervical vagotomy, abnormal cervical anatomy, brain tumor or aneurysm history, head trauma, syncope, seizures and nickel allergy as unevaluated risks.
    — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 3 June 2026
  • Vasovagal syncope is defined by the British National Health Service as a common type of fainting caused by a sudden drop in blood pressure and heart rate.
    — Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2026
Definition of syncope

Browse Nearby Words

insensibilities
insensibility
insensible
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Cite this Entry

“Insensibility.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insensibility. Accessed 11 Nov. 2026.

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