cold-hearted

American

[kohld-hahr-tid] / ˈkoʊldˈhɑr tɪd /

adjective

lacking sympathy or feeling; indifferent; unkind.

cold-hearted British

adjective

lacking in feeling or warmth; unkind

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of cold-hearted

First recorded in 1600–10

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

cold-hearted

I don’t wish to be cold-hearted, but none of us are in a position to take on the responsibility ourselves.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026

Meanwhile, comedian Alan Carr continues his transformation from giggly liability to cold-hearted killer.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2025

There is plenty of cold-hearted, merciless darkness, compulsive behavior and, of course, ill-fated love of all kinds.

From Salon ● Aug. 29, 2025

But when his plan goes awry, the Grinch turns into his old, cold-hearted self, until his friend Cindy-Lou Who, reminds him that Christmas is not all about winning.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 23, 2023

Couldn’t no one but a demon be that cold-hearted, and even if the Preacher had a whole boatload of things that’d make you wonder, couldn’t no one say he waren’t a man.

From "Elijah of Buxton" by Christopher Paul Curtis

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023