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cold-livered

cold-livered

9.9
Does not feel or show care for other people
  • adjective
  • /koʊldˈlɪvərd/
  • Offensive
translation icon : despiadado
  • The cold-livered judge showed no mercy in his rulings.

Examples

  • His cold-livered response shocked everyone at the meeting.

  • She was often called cold-livered for her lack of empathy.

  • His cold-livered attitude made it hard to connect.

  • She is known for her cold-livered attitude towards her colleagues.

  • Her cold-livered demeanor made it difficult for friends to approach her for support.

  • Despite his skills, his cold-livered nature alienated his teammates during crucial matches.

  • The cold-livered comments he made during the meeting left a lasting impression on everyone present.

Synonyms

cold
vscold-livered
883 4.4

Unfriendly and distant in feeling or action

is more often cruel or callous rather than merely distant
cold-blooded
vscold-livered
  • Offensive
54 6.1

Showing no pity and acting cruel on purpose

is emotionally detached rather than intentionally cruel in action
soulless
vscold-livered
34 6.3

Cold and showing no warm or deep feeling

is detached in feeling but may still act without malice
clinical
vscold-livered
32 6.5

Not showing emotion or personal involvement

is emotionally detached but can also include intentional cruelty
detached
vscold-livered
27 5.5

A person who is not affected by personal feelings and shows little emotion

is emotionally distant and can sometimes be actively cruel
icy
vscold-livered
22 3.3

Cold and unfriendly in tone or manner

is emotionally detached and can also reach deliberate cruelty
chilly
vscold-livered
16 3.5

Not friendly or warm toward other people

is more emotionally distant and can reach cruel indifference
unfeeling
vscold-livered
14 5.9

Not showing sympathy or care for other people's feelings

is detached in feeling but sometimes crosses into deliberate cruelty
frigid
vscold-livered
8 5.2

Not friendly or warm in how someone acts

is emotionally detached and sometimes shows harsh cruelty
unsympathetic
vscold-livered
7 4.9

Not feeling sorry for someone or caring about their problems

is emotionally detached and can sometimes act with callousness
bloodless
vscold-livered
4 6.6

Showing no feeling and little energy

is emotionally unresponsive rather than simply low on energy
glacial
vscold-livered
4 7.5

Very cold and unfriendly in the way someone behaves or looks

is detached in feeling but may not always intend contempt
coldhearted
vscold-livered
4 6.0

Showing no care or sympathy for other people

is emotionally detached but may not intend harm
cold as ice
vscold-livered
  • Informal
4 7.2

Not showing any feeling or kindness to others

is emotionally detached but may not imply malice
stone-cold
vscold-livered
1 4.1

Very cold with no warmth left

is detached in feeling but may not indicate total absence of warmth
cold-eyed
vscold-livered
1 7.6

Not showing strong feeling when judging something

is emotionally detached and may at times be actively cruel
insensate
vscold-livered
1 9.9

Having no feeling in body or mind and no pity

is emotionally unresponsive rather than lacking physical sensation
cold as charity
vscold-livered
  • Archaic
9.9

Acting kind but not showing real care

is emotionally distant and can sometimes become cruel
cold as a witch's kiss
vscold-livered
  • Literature
9.9

Showing no warmth or feeling

is more generally detached and not always intensely unfriendly
stonyhearted
vscold-livered
9.6

Not feeling sorry for other people

is emotionally detached and sometimes less harshly unkind
frozen
vscold-livered
5.1

Not warm or friendly in manner

is emotionally unresponsive rather than only appearing outwardly withdrawn

Antonyms

151 3.7

Feeling concern and care for people who suffer

1 3.7

Kind and friendly to other people

How Warm

cold-livered
  • Offensive
9.9
detached
27 5.5
aloof
34 6.3

Surface Forms

cold-livered positive

Morphology

cold-livered = cold + liver (semi-transparent) = cold + liver + ed

The element 'cold' is transparent, but 'livered' depends on an archaic figurative sense of 'liver' (seat of emotions) that is not obvious to many learners.

Etymology

Cold-livered joins cold and liver. Long ago people thought the liver was the home of 'feelings' and 'courage', so a 'cold' liver made a strong image of someone without warmth or pity, which is why cold-livered means emotionally cold or unkind.