heartless

[hahrt-lis]

See more synonyms for heartless on Thesaurus.com

adjective

unfeeling; unkind; unsympathetic; harsh; cruel: heartless words; a heartless ruler.
Archaic. lacking courage or enthusiasm; spiritless; disheartened.

Origin of heartless

1300–50; Middle English herteles, Old English heortlēas. See heart, -less

Related formsheart·less·ly, adverbheart·less·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for heartless

Contemporary Examples

But the Sawyer case, combined with the heartless parsimony of all lethal outbreaks, means that the truth will out and soon.
What Ebola on a Plane Means for the U.S.
Kent Sepkowitz
August 7, 2014
In California, Christie shot back: “That is not a heartless position, that is a common-sense position.”
How Chris Christie is Winning Over Hispanics
David Freedlander
November 3, 2013
Some offenders are literally coldblooded, heartless killers.
What Made the Boston Bombers Do It
Adrian Raine
May 3, 2013
Remember the flak that Texas Gov. Rick Perry took last cycle for calling critics of illegal immigrants “heartless”?
Ted Cruz, the Anti-Rubio Who Is Determined to Stop Immigration Reform
David Catanese
May 2, 2013
The effortless transformation of Justin Bieber from dreamy teen heartthrob to heartless, self-centered pop star continues apace.
Justin Bieber Abandons Mally The Monkey To German Authorities
Tom Sykes
April 23, 2013

Historical Examples

There was something so ruthless in the boy, so overbearing and heartless.
Dust
Mr. and Mrs. Haldeman-Julius
You think that I am heartless, and have been playing with you.
Fair Margaret
H. Rider Haggard
And, how about the heartless girl—did you ever see her again, Uncle Jim?
With Trapper Jim in the North Woods
Lawrence J. Leslie
I reject you, and all of your kith and kin—all the false, hollow, heartless stock.'
Barnaby Rudge
Charles Dickens
Reckless, thoughtless, heartless, he plunges headlong again.
The Book of Khalid
Ameen Rihani

British Dictionary definitions for heartless

heartless

adjective

unkind or cruel; hard-hearted

Derived Formsheartlessly, adverbheartlessness, noun

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

Word Origin and History for heartless

adj.

Old English heortleas "dispirited, dejected;" see heart + -less. In Middle English with expanded senses "lacking in courage; foolish; listless; half-hearted; sluggish." Sense of "callous, cruel" is not certainly attested before Shelley used it in 1816. Literal meaning "lacking a heart, lifeless" (mid-15c.) is rare. Related: Heartlessly; heartlessness.

heartless

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}heartless

Examples from the Web for heartless

Contemporary Examples

But the Sawyer case, combined with the heartless parsimony of all lethal outbreaks, means that the truth will out and soon.

In California, Christie shot back: “That is not a heartless position, that is a common-sense position.”

Some offenders are literally coldblooded, heartless killers.

Remember the flak that Texas Gov. Rick Perry took last cycle for calling critics of illegal immigrants “heartless”?

The effortless transformation of Justin Bieber from dreamy teen heartthrob to heartless, self-centered pop star continues apace.

Historical Examples

There was something so ruthless in the boy, so overbearing and heartless.

You think that I am heartless, and have been playing with you.

And, how about the heartless girl—did you ever see her again, Uncle Jim?

I reject you, and all of your kith and kin—all the false, hollow, heartless stock.'

Reckless, thoughtless, heartless, he plunges headlong again.

heartless

Word Origin and History for heartless

adj.

Origin of heartless