1
as in unkind
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2
as in uncaring
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Recent Examples of unloving
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
And at its head, always, sits Adele’s husband Caesar (Tommaso Ragno), a stern but not unloving patriarch with the sonorous voice of a man used to being obeyed, who runs the local one-room school where all of his kids, bar his youngest, sickly infant, are taught the same lessons regardless of age.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 2 Sep. 2024
Pushed out by an unloving foster family, our heroine bounces from one unhappy situation to another, blithely rising above a string of temporary jobs, unreliable boyfriends, and a stint of streetwalking.
—Danny Horn, EW.com, 7 Mar. 2024
Or that his fear of letting go can be traced to various traumas involving his unloving family and his loving but dead wife?
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 2 Nov. 2023
Strays tells the story of Reggie (voiced by Will Ferrell), an adorable terrier abandoned by his unloving owner.
—Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 18 Aug. 2023
The season also has Sam’s father (played by Mike Hagerty, who died before filming) away on a boating trip with his brother, and Sam’s unloving, unhappy mother in a nursing home.
—Matthew Gilbert, BostonGlobe.com, 11 May 2023
Daisy grows up in Los Angeles feeling hopelessly alone in the home of her wealthy but unloving parents, and as an adult is used by men, with only closeted disco singer Simone (Nabiyah Be) seeing her as a person.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2023
Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 17 July 2025
And at its head, always, sits Adele’s husband Caesar (Tommaso Ragno), a stern but not unloving patriarch with the sonorous voice of a man used to being obeyed, who runs the local one-room school where all of his kids, bar his youngest, sickly infant, are taught the same lessons regardless of age.
—Jessica Kiang, Variety, 2 Sep. 2024
Pushed out by an unloving foster family, our heroine bounces from one unhappy situation to another, blithely rising above a string of temporary jobs, unreliable boyfriends, and a stint of streetwalking.
—Danny Horn, EW.com, 7 Mar. 2024
Or that his fear of letting go can be traced to various traumas involving his unloving family and his loving but dead wife?
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 2 Nov. 2023
Strays tells the story of Reggie (voiced by Will Ferrell), an adorable terrier abandoned by his unloving owner.
—Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 18 Aug. 2023
The season also has Sam’s father (played by Mike Hagerty, who died before filming) away on a boating trip with his brother, and Sam’s unloving, unhappy mother in a nursing home.
—Matthew Gilbert, BostonGlobe.com, 11 May 2023
Daisy grows up in Los Angeles feeling hopelessly alone in the home of her wealthy but unloving parents, and as an adult is used by men, with only closeted disco singer Simone (Nabiyah Be) seeing her as a person.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unloving
Adjective
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Kentucky has been unkind matchup for A&M Before A&M joined the SEC in 2012, the Aggies and Wildcats had met only once — A&M's 73-69 win in December 1978.—
Tony Catalina,
Austin American Statesman,
3 Mar. 2026
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The pitching news continues to be unkind.—
Chad Bishop,
AJC.com,
20 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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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
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In any lesser performance, that character could’ve hardened into a villainous fairy-tale creature, the uncaring mother who has abandoned her child for the sake of her own unnatural career ambitions.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Tourette’s can feel spiteful and searches out the most upsetting tic for me personally and for those around me.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
24 Feb. 2026
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What does that mean, a spiteful number?—
Judith Shulevitz,
The Atlantic,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Scenes meant to convey fondness and dramatic weight instead flatten into thoughtless repetition, as the series’ decades-long dissection of the final girl reveals itself as a stale brand asset.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
26 Feb. 2026
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Karlsson was on the wrong side of the puck all evening, made careless decisions and generally played a thoughtless game.—
Josh Yohe,
New York Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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But there was the Transformers actor, with his tattoos and pirate beard, behaving like the obnoxious guy at the bar who spoils everybody else’s night, getting into a fight, then continuing to party the next day after his high-profile arrest.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Feb. 2026
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By and large, Kenny comes off as a nice guy, if not a smidge obnoxious.—
Jordan Hoffman,
Entertainment Weekly,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Guests will enjoy the experience free from disruptive behavior, foul language, obscene gestures, fighting, unruly conduct or inconsiderate actions.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
2 Mar. 2026
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Aggressive, inconsiderate and unsafe operation prevail.—
Ticked Off,
The Orlando Sentinel,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The tone of the FDA's message, Chaccour says, carried with it a contemptuous and toxic undertone, which only helped to escalate the political tensions around ivermectin that continue to this day.—
Yuki Noguchi,
NPR,
2 Mar. 2026
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Hogg, who had a brief and tumultuous stint as a DNC co–vice chair in early 2025, is contemptuous of the party’s lingering cohort of elder leaders.—
Mark Leibovich,
The Atlantic,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Along the way, Daisy and Hoke each will confront, acknowledge and, in a way, overcome their own often-unthinking prejudice.—
Oline Cogdill,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Feb. 2026
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To stay in that state of unthinking presence was like walking a tightrope only to suddenly look down, panic, and come plunging back to Earth.—
Michael Pollan,
The Atlantic,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unloving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unloving. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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