as in unloving
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Recent Examples of unaffectionate
But in conversations with his long-suffering wife Louisa and his stern mother Abigail Adams, a less noble side of the man is laid bare: absentee husband, cold, unaffectionate father and inflexible, unlikable politician.
—
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2020
Seward says Diana told her about her ex-husband's unaffectionate childhood with parents Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.
—Simon Perry, PEOPLE.com, 21 Sep. 2020
Kyung, a Korean-American, grew up financially comfortable — surrounded by tutors, music lessons and other markers of success — but in loveless, unaffectionate surroundings.
—Joumana Khatib, New York Times, 11 May 2017
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2020
Seward says Diana told her about her ex-husband's unaffectionate childhood with parents Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.
—Simon Perry, PEOPLE.com, 21 Sep. 2020
Kyung, a Korean-American, grew up financially comfortable — surrounded by tutors, music lessons and other markers of success — but in loveless, unaffectionate surroundings.
—Joumana Khatib, New York Times, 11 May 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unaffectionate
Adjective
-
Potterheads across the globe will instantly recognize Harry’s not-so-homely house on Privet Drive, his cramped excuse of a bedroom and the endless disdain oozing from the young wizard’s unloving aunt and uncle, Petunia and Vernon Dursley.—
Charlotte Reck,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
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Felix, whose childhood is revealed to have been unloving and unstable, seems to see in Jess something like instant security: not just a warm person with a home that’s much more welcoming than his chaotic squat full of eco-warriors, but an insta-family.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
17 July 2025
Adjective
-
The Tuscan capital’s poshest hotel stands aloof from the selfie crush around Ponte Vecchio and the Duomo, in the quiet northern reaches of central Florence.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 Apr. 2026
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That’s on top of her other worries, not the least of which is her seemingly disturbed, aloof young son.—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The regime advanced legislation to bar unfriendly countries from the waterway and require all vessels to pay a toll.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
3 Apr. 2026
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And thanks to the missiles soaring over the Middle East, many long-distance flights now have longer routings, burning more fuel, as airlines try to avoid flying over some very unfriendly skies.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Standing outside her Brooklyn home on Friday, a devastated Wright struggled to understand how the driver who hit her child could be so uncaring.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
7 Mar. 2026
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But dismissing public servants as lazy, overpaid or uncaring ignores the reality of the people doing the work — and undermines our ability to attract the talent needed to govern well.—
John Atkinson,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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There’s still time for an indifferent citizenry to get on board, to embrace NASA’s goals, to proceed into the future, to marvel at efforts to return to the lunar surface and, eventually, to chart the pathway to Mars.—
Michael Peregrine,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
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Leo said that in a world hurt by wars and abuses, people need hope and peace, urging against growing accustomed to violence and indifferent to the death of tens of thousands.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
And for those uninterested in chess, there are plenty of other choices.—
Madison Beveridge,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
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Reske appears uninterested in fetishizing or recreating his past, and that’s probably for the best.—
David Glickman,
Pitchfork,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Not many years ago, a ruthless man with an uneasy mind took power in his country and created a cult of personality.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
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The sequel picks up as Tyler Rake, back from the brink of death, gets hired to rescue a ruthless gangster’s family from prison.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The food chain is in full and pitiless effect, and no one bats an eye, or side-eyes a bat, when natural predatory impulses kick in.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026
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The scene offers a pitiless view of the sexism, and materialism, of the culture in which the girls were being raised.—
Mark Oppenheimer,
Vulture,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unaffectionate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unaffectionate. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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