INSENSITIVITY Synonyms: 94 Similar and Opposite Words

insensitivity

noun

as in callousness

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Dissimilar Words

as in insensitiveness

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of insensitivity In a variation on her character from Parasite, Cho deftly underplays Yi-je’s insensitivity as another woman projecting a blithe lack of awareness of her privilege. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 Sep. 2026 Sherman is known to savage, with unglamorous insensitivity, the vaunted creative directors of the great houses. — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 19 Aug. 2026 The endeavor ultimately showed how the group’s interdependent dynamic made for constant self-incrimination and insensitivity masquerading as selflessness. — Dennis Perkins, Entertainment Weekly, 28 July 2026 Influencer criticism calling the sandwich ‘not worth it’ and dismissing ‘traditional style’ food triggered accusations of cultural insensitivity. — Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 13 July 2026 The data shows campaigns with audio outperform those without on profit (+75%), trust (+81%), price insensitivity (+81%), and customer acquisition (+19%). — Jesse Kirshbaum, SPIN, 3 July 2026 The misstep immediately sparked backlash for cultural insensitivity and drew over 50 million views on Weibo—other Western brands, including H&M, Dolce & Gabbana, Dior, Burberry, and Gucci, have been caught in similar cultural crosshairs. — Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 Directness is often confused with insensitivity. — Jonathan Alpert Outkick, FOXNews.com, 25 Apr. 2026 The majority reported being treated rudely by providers, insensitivity regarding modesty requirements, or having their pain disregarded. — Anisah Bagasra, The Conversation, 17 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for insensitivity

Noun

The boys’ callousness quickly turned to disgust, their contempt steadily aimed at Neil.

— S. M. Reznik, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Vicki brushes it off, and even Shannon can’t defend her friend’s callousness.

— Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of callousness

Noun

These young graduates start out naive about the heartlessness of the corporate world and harbor illusory hopes for success in unforgiving professions.

— George Packer, The Atlantic, 16 Mar. 2026
The lives of the two children in the story, aged fourteen and four, are portrayed as being as fleeting as the fireflies, and the story is an unsentimental and unflinching account with moments of both tenderness and heartlessness.

— Ginny Tapley Takemori September 4, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025

Definition of heartlessness

Noun

Perhaps the greatest testament to Morocco’s obduracy came late in normal time, when Rodri — a central midfielder being deployed as a central defender — strode forward and shot, more in hope than in expectation, from 35 yards.

— Rory Smith, New York Times, 6 Dec. 2022
But a year later, more than two dozen of them remain stuck in Afghanistan, stalled by bureaucratic wrangling, the vagaries of international diplomacy and the obduracy of the Taliban government.

— Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2022

Definition of obduracy

Noun

Chrysoberyl is a rare gemstone prized for its exceptional hardness and brilliance, known for its honey and chartreuse hues that shift under the light, making Khaled’s one-of-a-kind watch shine that much brighter.

— Taylor Stoddard, Robb Report, 21 Oct. 2026
Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, measuring about 5 on the Mohs hardness scale, which is higher than some types of iron and steel, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

— Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of hardness

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insensitiveness

insensitivity

insentient

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Style

“Insensitivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insensitivity. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of insensitivity

noun

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