CALLOUS Synonyms: 113 Similar and Opposite Words

callous

adjective

ˈka-ləs

Definition of callous

as in ruthless

having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings the callous comment "It's just a fish," when the boy's pet died, made him cry

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of callous Watching the movie and Marcel’s fragile belief in a world so callous is to feel a surge of possibility for humanity. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 17 June 2026 Kantor expresses an empathy for young people that the more callous of this year’s graduation speakers seemed to lack. — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 15 June 2026 Madonna hunts pheasant in the English countryside, Thomas Edison electrocutes an elephant, Harry Harlow conducts callous experiments on monkeys, and Jimmy Carter fends off a swamp rabbit attack. — Literary Hub, 9 June 2026 This is a distortion of the law, and a display of callous indifference to the tragedies that moved Congress to pass the Refugee Act. — Elizabeth Holtzman, Time, 9 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for callous

Recent Examples of Synonyms for callous

Adjective

For Arsenal, the mission to create their best possible squad for depth and quality requires some upgrades in certain areas, and Berta won’t mind being ruthless if a sacrifice here leads to a new crowning there.

— Kaya Kaynak, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Her portrayal of Abby Cunningham on Knots Landing helped define the prime-time soap’s appeal, with the character’s romances becoming just as talked about as her ruthless ambition.

— Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 8 Aug. 2026

Definition of ruthless

Adjective

Oscar Wilde, for example, reposes beneath a hulking deity whose iconoclastic castration, back in 1961, did little to restrain pilgrims seeking to smear red lips across his stony physique.

— Emily Cox, ARTnews.com, 22 May 2026
Instead of looking like a sleek urban loft, the room can quickly start to feel cold, stony, and impersonal.

— Natasha Bazika, Martha Stewart, 9 May 2026

Definition of stony

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callosity

callous

callously

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“Callous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/callous. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of callous

adjective

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