1
as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings
an insensitive remark about his deceased wife that was incredibly rude
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in numb
lacking in sensation or feeling
fingers rendered insensitive by the cold
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of insensitive
Hollywood reacted by lambasting Trump for being cruel and insensitive.
—
Zack Sharf, Variety, 4 Jan. 2026
Last month, one of Mamdani's top appointments withdrew after the Anti-Defamation League surfaced social media posts from more than a decade ago widely viewed as insensitive and anti-Semitic.
—Brian Mann, NPR, 1 Jan. 2026
And a bit of that happened, sure, there was harassment, and doxxing, and people lost their jobs for insensitive posts about Kirk.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 29 Dec. 2025
The Reddit user notes that one of the children is biracial, implying that the comment may have been racially motivated or, at the very least, insensitive.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 30 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for insensitive
Zack Sharf, Variety, 4 Jan. 2026
Last month, one of Mamdani's top appointments withdrew after the Anti-Defamation League surfaced social media posts from more than a decade ago widely viewed as insensitive and anti-Semitic.
—Brian Mann, NPR, 1 Jan. 2026
And a bit of that happened, sure, there was harassment, and doxxing, and people lost their jobs for insensitive posts about Kirk.
—Max Tani, semafor.com, 29 Dec. 2025
The Reddit user notes that one of the children is biracial, implying that the comment may have been racially motivated or, at the very least, insensitive.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 30 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for insensitive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insensitive
Adjective
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For the first time, the defense attorney becomes the defendant, forced to fight for his own freedom while facing off against ruthless prosecutor Dana Berg (Constance Zimmer).—
Veronica Villafañe,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
And, as part of the deal, city planners aim to update development protocols to meet the challenges of a more ruthless wildfire regime.—
Mark Dee
January 27,
Idaho Statesman,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Following a lip lift, swelling and bruising can last two to three weeks and the area may feel firm, tight, tingly, or numb for up to three months.—
Jolene Edgar,
Allure,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Body tissue is damaged, and extremities like fingers, toes, ear lobes and the tip of the nose can become numb and appear white or pale.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
But the Warriors, driven by the merciless ticking clock of Curry’s career, are desperate.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
28 Jan. 2026
-
In the film, Leonardo DiCaprio plays Bob Ferguson, a former revolutionary who must save his teenage daughter after she’s kidnapped by the merciless army officer, Colonel Lockjaw (played by Sean Penn).—
Jazz Tangcay,
Variety,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Ingber also notes the numbed response to these strikes from much of the American public, something that, in part, may come from the routine nature of these drone strikes as something that the nation has become desensitized to dropping bombs on enemies.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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That means the flavor can range from mild and clean to stony or salty, and the intensity of the bubbles also varies from delicate to aggressive.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Delectable notes of lemon curd on the nose, citrus blossom, and stony minerality, with peach tart and a drizzle of honey, and a lovely balance of medium body, lots of juicy fruit and crisp acidity.—
Cathrine Todd,
Forbes.com,
16 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
To his right, his friend Will is asleep in the aisle seat; to his left is his ex Lucy, watching tv.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
-
The bus driver was asleep at the wheel, and the drag queens in the back were driving the season.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
But German timidity before Israel’s moral blackmail only partly explains Habermas’s callous attitude toward the country’s Palestinian victims.—
Sean Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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As the only female taxi driver working her corner of Nigeria’s heaving metropolis, Lady is accustomed to underestimation by a callous patriarchy, and staunchly resists the gender normatives implied by her name.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The greatest accusation levied against her is the crime of being an unfeeling mother.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
11 Aug. 2025
-
Then, the men had to walk around as these unfeeling, aggressive, hyper-masculine creatures.—
Maureen Lee Lenker,
EW.com,
28 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Insensitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insensitive. Accessed 5 Feb. 2026.
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