1
as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings
gave them an unsympathetic look and pointed out that they'd brought the problem on themselves
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in icy
lacking in friendliness or warmth of feeling
an aloof and unsympathetic man who does not engage in small talk
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in hostile
marked by opposition or ill will
a bohemian artist who found the unsympathetic environment of the small town too much to bear
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in negative
opposed to one's interests
an unsympathetic reaction to her proposal to ban trans fats from the company cafeteria
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unsympathetic
But Rosebush Pruning is not funny enough to get away with its abrasiveness or make its unsympathetic characters palatable.
—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
The visit was condemned by Iranians, from regime supporters to anti-government activists, who were opposed to monarchy and unsympathetic to Israel.
—
Eric Lob,
The Conversation,
23 Jan. 2026
Perhaps the most succinct way to illustrate the difference is that Kiritsis really did seem crazy and thus, unsympathetic.
—
Mick Lasalle,
San Francisco Chronicle,
5 Jan. 2026
Noah Baumbach loves to find sympathy in unsympathetic subjects—the awkward title character of Greenberg, the caustic writer played by Nicole Kidman in Margot at the Wedding, the bitter divorced couple of Marriage Story.
—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsympathetic
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Feb. 2026
The visit was condemned by Iranians, from regime supporters to anti-government activists, who were opposed to monarchy and unsympathetic to Israel.
—
Eric Lob,
The Conversation,
23 Jan. 2026
Perhaps the most succinct way to illustrate the difference is that Kiritsis really did seem crazy and thus, unsympathetic.
—
Mick Lasalle,
San Francisco Chronicle,
5 Jan. 2026
Noah Baumbach loves to find sympathy in unsympathetic subjects—the awkward title character of Greenberg, the caustic writer played by Nicole Kidman in Margot at the Wedding, the bitter divorced couple of Marriage Story.
—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
14 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsympathetic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsympathetic
Adjective
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Canadian quartet Truck Violence have been sloshing together these subgenres in a ruthless manner for several years now, and their sophomore album and debut for the Flenser aims for even higher drops between those peaks and valleys.
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There was relative peace for 11 years, until a second civil war erupted in 1983, when leaders in Khartoum imposed sharia (Islamic) law and accelerated repression of the southern Christian rebels, which ultimately allowed a ruthless military officer, Omar al-Bashir, to come to power in 1989.
Adjective
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Their journey spans icy fjords, Byzantine intrigue, and the fabled Silk Road, blending Viking grit with ancient Chinese wisdom, unexpected alliances, and a touch of magic.
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Through icy landscapes, courage and friendship are tested – and the children discover that the true magic of Christmas comes from togetherness.
Adjective
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The complaint alleges that school officials at Southern Hills Middle School failed to stop two years of antisemitic harassment against an eighth grader even after investigations concluded the student faced a hostile environment.
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Create an internal incident map and begin tagging hostile actions according to the DISARM taxonomy.
Adjective
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But a recent poll shows that a majority abroad have a negative view of the country.
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Bass’ handling of the Palisades fire has had a long-lasting, negative impact on voters’ opinions of her.
Adjective
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The poem that precedes it, the Iliad, is a cruel and beautiful work, the ultimate story of war; the Odyssey has its warlike passages, but its central energies seem almost commonplace beside the merciless fury of Achilles.
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Humility is the posture; the standard is merciless.
Adjective
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That frigid January night, as police spent hours picking up pieces of her teeth and face off of the highway, there was no clear path forward in sight.
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Snow, wind and frigid temperatures could combine to increase demand beyond what the state’s utilities can supply.
Adjective
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The undertaking might seem crazy to those who diss the fight game or have unfavorable reviews of the current administration.
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Negotiating power is harder to see—until conditions become unfavorable and someone needs to act against the system their balance sheet depends on.
Adjective
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Oscar Wilde, for example, reposes beneath a hulking deity whose iconoclastic castration, back in 1961, did little to restrain pilgrims seeking to smear red lips across his stony physique.
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Instead of looking like a sleek urban loft, the room can quickly start to feel cold, stony, and impersonal.
Cite this Entry
“Unsympathetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsympathetic. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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