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Heartlessness: meaning, definitions and examples

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heartlessness

 

[ ˈhɑːrtləsnəs ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

lack of compassion

Heartlessness refers to a complete absence of compassion or empathy towards others. It is a cold and unfeeling attitude that disregards the feelings and emotions of those around us.

Synonyms

callousness, coldness, cruelty.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
heartlessness

Use when describing someone's complete lack of empathy or compassion.

  • Her heartlessness was evident when she ignored the homeless man asking for help
cruelty

Used to depict actions or behaviors that are intentionally harmful or mean.

  • Her cruelty knew no bounds when she spread false rumors about her friend
callousness

Best for situations where someone's insensitivity or indifference is due to being emotionally hardened.

  • His callousness towards his coworkers made him very unpopular in the office
coldness

Appropriate for describing a person's aloofness or emotional detachment; can sometimes be seen as neutral.

  • There was a coldness in her voice that made it hard to trust her

Examples of usage

  • He showed his heartlessness by laughing at the misfortune of others.
  • The heartlessness of the dictator led to widespread suffering among the population.

Translations

Translations of the word "heartlessness" in other languages:

🇵🇹 crueldade

🇮🇳 निर्दयता

🇩🇪 Herzlosigkeit

🇮🇩 kekejaman

🇺🇦 безсердечність

🇵🇱 bezserczość

🇯🇵 非情 (ひじょう)

🇫🇷 cruauté

🇪🇸 crueldad

🇹🇷 kalpsizlik

🇰🇷 무정함

🇸🇦 قساوة

🇨🇿 bezcitnost

🇸🇰 bezcitnosť

🇨🇳 无情

🇸🇮 brezsrčnost

🇮🇸 hjartaleysi

🇰🇿 жүрексіздік

🇬🇪 უსულგულობა

🇦🇿 ürəksizlik

🇲🇽 crueldad

Etymology

The word heartlessness originated in the late 16th century, derived from the combination of 'heart' and 'less'. It has been used to describe the lack of compassion or empathy in various contexts, from literature to everyday life. The concept of heartlessness is often associated with negative traits such as cruelty and indifference.

See also: brokenhearted, dishearten, disheartened, disheartening, halfheartedly, heart, heartache, heartbeat, heartbreak, heartbreaker, heartbreaking, heartbreakingly, heartbroken, heartening, heartfelt, heartily, heartland, heartless, heartlessly, heartsease, heartthrob, heartwarming, hearty.

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #34,225 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.