callous

[kal-uhs]

adjective

1. made hard; hardened.

   Synonyms: hard
   Antonyms: soft

2. insensitive; indifferent; unsympathetic.

   They have a callous attitude toward the sufferings of others.

   Synonyms: obtuse, insensible
   Antonyms: sensitive

3. having a callus; indurated, as parts of the skin exposed to friction.

verb (used with or without object)

1. to make or become hard or callous.

callous

/ ˈkæləs /

adjective

1. unfeeling; insensitive

2. (of skin) hardened and thickened

verb

1. pathol to make or become callous

Other Word Forms

• callously adverb
• callousness noun
• uncallous adjective
• uncallously adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of callous¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English from Latin callōsus “hard-skinned, tough,” equivalent to call(um) “tough skin, any hard substance” + -ōsus -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of callous¹

C16: from Latin callōsus; see _callus

Synonym Study

See hard.

Example Sentences

She said he "killed my son in the most brutal and callous fashion. In doing so he changed my life and life of my family members forever".

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The only results were brutal retaliation within the walls and callous apathy from state officials.

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But there’s always a less indecent, a less callous, a less ugly way.

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A support dog at Magilligan Prison in County Londonderry has been removed due to a "callous and calculated threat", the Northern Ireland Prison Service has said.

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He carried out the "callous" plot as he saw Mr O'Hara as an "obstacle" to Kwan's inheritance of his mother's St Thomas Street' home in the event of her death, the panel heard.

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Related Words

• apathetic 
• careless 
• cold-blooded 
• heartless 
• indifferent 
• insensitive 
• uncaring www.thesaurus.com
• unsympathetic