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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There’s a difference between sharing opinions that have been widely held on topics and hate speech that is unkind, uses names or wishes harm, by Doherty’s description.—
Darcie Moran,
Freep.com,
28 Oct. 2025
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Adult death is always strangely humiliating but this was something more, conceptually distressing, theoretically immoderate, elaborately unkind.—
Joy Williams,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Lady Luck and Mister Fate can be a mean couple, uncaring of you or me.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
16 Sep. 2025
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Thompson starred in DaCosta’s debut feature Little Woods, a thoughtful, emotional thriller about two sisters just trying to survive in an expensive, uncaring world.—
Jourdain Searles,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Meester holds her cards close to her chest, leaving us to wonder whether Joanne is being spiteful and shallow (given her trajectory … probably) or whether this woman is really that unbearable.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
24 Oct. 2025
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Several diss tracks followed, with the musicians hurling increasingly spiteful insults at each other relating to accusations of domestic abuse, exploitation and pedophilia.—
Ethan Millman,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Not having matches in a waterproof container was another thoughtless mistake.—
Bill Shaber,
Outdoor Life,
22 Oct. 2025
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Buying things is becoming as thoughtless as sending a text.—
Patrick van Esch,
The Conversation,
20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Various new characters join in on the fun, including Chris Elliott’s Riff Raff-style butler and Tori Spelling’s obnoxious try-hard friend, Alex.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Oct. 2025
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An art conservator who'd prefer to be immersed in detail work, Sarah is bombing as the host of a dinner party where her entrepreneur husband (Tom Riley) hopes to impress an obnoxious prospective investor (Tom Goodman-Hill) when a literal explosive goes off in her neighborhood.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Many people agreed that her boyfriend’s decision to propose publicly — despite knowing her feelings — was manipulative and inconsiderate.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
28 Oct. 2025
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People like this are either children/teen or extremely inconsiderate.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The band was concerned about their record label’s reaction, but despite the movie’s scene with a Myers cameo as a contemptuous exec, Reid insists there was no confrontation.—
Brian Hiatt,
Rolling Stone,
24 Sep. 2025
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There are some good, compassionate officers out there, but the general attitude has become cold, cruel and contemptuous toward homeless individuals.—
Bruce Higgins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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There’s the interest in Britney Spears and pop icons who had been assumed to be vacant, unthinking ingénues.—
Brandon Tensley,
CNN,
23 Dec. 2022
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The point is made: Pinocchio might have a hole where his heart should be, but is the unthinking servile person any less hollow?—
Michael Cavna,
Washington Post,
8 Dec. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Unloving.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unloving. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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