callousness

[ kal-uhs-nis ]

/ ˈkæl əs nɪs /

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See synonyms for callousness on Thesaurus.com

noun

the quality of being insensitive, indifferent, or unsympathetic; hardness of heart:Cutting off the unemployed from their benefits is a sad blend of callousness—a complete lack of empathy for the unfortunate—and unsound economics.

a hardened or thickened condition of the skin or other tissue:Razors and shaving cause a callousness of the skin, which will encourage heavier hair growth and irritation.

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Origin of callousness

callous + -ness

OTHER WORDS FROM callousness

un·cal·lous·ness, noun

Words nearby callousness

callosal, callose, callosity, Callot, callous, callousness, callout, callow, Calloway, call rate, call sign

How to use callousness in a sentence

I use “safer” because, while we might have been protected from the insurrectionists, we were not safe from the callousness of members of Congress who, having encouraged the sentiments that inspired the riot, now ignored requests to wear masks.
Rep. Watson Coleman: I’m 75. I had cancer. I got covid-19 because my GOP colleagues dismiss facts.|Bonnie Watson Coleman|January 12, 2021|Washington Post
It can seem callous to think about policy in these terms, but it cannot be understated how much anti-smoking policies have improved health and general well-being.
Study: Smoking bans saved countless lives — could they have increased drunk driving?|Jerusalem Demsas|December 24, 2020|Vox
Nestlé and Cargill could risk sounding baldly callous in the Supreme Court next week.
The Supreme Court will decide: Can Big Chocolate be blamed for child slavery?|Vivienne Walt|November 26, 2020|Fortune
When Congress finally did amend the immigration statute, Truman conceded that the measure “discriminates in callous fashion” against Jewish refugees — but he signed it anyway.
They survived World War II — but were left stranded in Germany|Steven Roberts|October 30, 2020|Washington Post

Those were the callous words printed on a sign below one family’s plea for help.
Family Told to Let Their Baby Die Instead of Raising Money For His Rare Disease|Health|November 27, 2019|Health
Medical authorities of the day often acted less out of an “abundance of caution” than with a general callousness to humanity.
Disease History Vs. Disease Hysteria|Kevin Bleyer|October 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A certain callousness toward everyone else seems to be part of the package.
Why Some Americans Are More Equal Than Others|Jedediah Purdy|September 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Two basic characteristics not related to memory are apathy and indifference or callousness.
Does Donald Sterling Have Dementia? And Does That Make Him Any Less of a Racist?|Robert Silverman|May 23, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Too often this dynamic results in a toleration of demagogues who show callousness to communities of color in the USA.
Hispanic Outreach Director Explains Why He Said ‘Adios’ to the GOP|John Avlon|May 16, 2013|DAILY BEAST
But the woman who did handle it has been under a storm of Internet outrage over her seeming callousness and unprofessionalism.
Amanda Berry’s 911 Dispatcher Under Fire for Blasé Response|David Freedlander|May 7, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The man who had asked the question climbed down and obeyed the order with the callousness of a dog nosing a dead rabbit.
The Yeoman Adventurer|George W. Gough
And they almost regretted—though none of them would have owned to such callousness—that their father was soon coming back.
Sons and Lovers|David Herbert Lawrence
Would you say that in this class of rare exceptions the absence of tears was always due to callousness in the mourners?
The Incendiary|W. A. (William Augustine) Leahy
It is quite possible to employ judgment so as to produce acts which will increase this organic callousness.
Essays in Experimental Logic|John Dewey
This callousness is almost beyond our comprehension, the tone of feeling is so different now.
The Expositor's Bible: The Book of Joshua|William Garden Blaikie