callousness
Americannoun
-
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.
Other Word Forms
- uncallousness noun
Etymology
Origin of callousness
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.
“Who are you? Why are you doing this?”—as though cruelty and callousness were the norm, ordinary decency the marvel.
From Literature
Throughout its episode “Succession” hits an array of thematic notes beyond the obvious concerning the Roys’ dysfunction and the callousness of the wealthy.
From Salon
But I got used to that too—the callousness of powerful people and the way they didn’t care what was fair.
From Literature
It was an act of the most horrendous callousness and self-interest.
From BBC
There was a callousness about his exit and the brutal words about him from Desmond.
From BBC
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
