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
To validate their findings, the researchers compared the mammalian TRPM8 with a version found in birds, which is mostly insensitive to cold despite its nearly identical appearance.
—
Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 25 Mar. 2026
Her complaint detailed inappropriate comments made in front of USC donors and staff, as well as insensitive or discriminatory remarks made in her presence.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
On the red carpet, a journalist made a racially insensitive comment about her hairstyle.
—Valentine Ulgu-Servant, Vanity Fair, 19 Mar. 2026
Modern mass spectrometry faces a sequential bottleneck because most instruments analyze molecules one by one, a process that is often too slow and insensitive to detect rare but key biological signals.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for insensitive
Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 25 Mar. 2026
Her complaint detailed inappropriate comments made in front of USC donors and staff, as well as insensitive or discriminatory remarks made in her presence.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026
On the red carpet, a journalist made a racially insensitive comment about her hairstyle.
—Valentine Ulgu-Servant, Vanity Fair, 19 Mar. 2026
Modern mass spectrometry faces a sequential bottleneck because most instruments analyze molecules one by one, a process that is often too slow and insensitive to detect rare but key biological signals.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 18 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for insensitive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insensitive
Adjective
-
More ruthless than ever, Tony Baddingham (Tennant) is determined to dismantle his rivals piece-by-piece, weaponising scandal and manipulating those closest to him to maintain his grip on power.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Their little brother Dante is an irresponsible party boy, tangled up with a ruthless local gang.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The passengers, including me, sat stoically in the dark, tired and numb.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
However numb fans are to the business of seemingly every level of sport, including third-grade kickball, seeing Schloss in a Texas uniform at Blue Bell Park is not going to go over well.—
Mac Engel
April 8,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
This commentary was not from a wonkish TikToker nor a network pundit but from TMZ, the merciless purveyor of celebrity dirt, which published the images of Graham after a citizen vacationer noticed the senator flitting through the theme park and sent pictures.—
Paula Mejía,
New Yorker,
15 Apr. 2026
-
But in the shadows, amid growing unease at the bloodthirsty actions of the realm’s merciless Mad King, dissenters from his inner circle anxiously advance a treasonous plot.—
Ryan Brennan
April 3,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
When Bill’s older brother Henry (Barry Ward) finds the pianist in numbed solitude in his dingy apartment, Bill has canceled all his upcoming gigs, saying Scotty cannot be replaced.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
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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
-
In a vast stony tract of desert a three-hour drive south of Cairo, tucked between jagged black mountains and the glittering Gulf of Suez, a group of Chinese engineers is quietly rewiring Egypt’s energy strategy.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
14 Apr. 2026
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Hikers can traverse the stony beds of Cliffy Creek and snap photos of the park's four iconic waterfalls.—
Joie Probst,
Midwest Living,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
After a lengthy investigation found there was no evidence to suggest that the crash was intentional, detectives determined that Gutierrez likely fell asleep at the wheel.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
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According to five family members and an attorney who spoke with the Herald, guards working for a private contractor most recently used chemical agents in the early morning hours of April 6, when many detainees were asleep in bunk beds crammed into chain-link cages.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
18 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
What’s more striking about the kitchen scene, though, is Daisy’s initially callous reaction.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
15 Apr. 2026
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The silence of the people around us did not erase our differences; the sound of the fireworks in the distance was a callous reminder of the disagreements that did exist.—
Eranda Jayawickreme,
The Conversation,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
One says, God can always see you with his unfeeling precision.—
Sandra Lim,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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As the actor tells Glamour, most were written according to stereotypes and portrayed as cold, unfeeling, aggressive, or robotic.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Insensitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insensitive. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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