insensibility

Examples

• All

• Her insensibility to the pain of others made it difficult for her to maintain close friendships.

• You can hold her hand, give her flowers, or kiss her into insensibility if you want, but leave the Bhelliom right where it is.

  Fiction book (1993)

• (Tabloid headline: "Grieving Hubby Drinks Himself into Insensibility on Attorney's Booze.")

  Fiction book (1992)

• "Such an understanding issues from what James Mersmann describes as the poet's "awareness that war (the ultimate insensibility and untruth) is itself an abuse of language (the ultimate vehicle of sensibility and truth), or at least an occasion for its abuse" (207).

  Fiction book (1995)

• Since the 1846 report from Boston surgeon Henry Jacob Bigelow, "Insensibility during Surgical Operations Produced by Inhalation," so many of the significant advances we've seen rely on the use of anesthesia.

  Blog text (9)

• After the accident, he remained in a state of insensibility for several hours, unaware of his surroundings.

Synonyms

I

indifference

vsinsensibility

71 4.6

Lack of interest or concern about something

is about inability to feel or respond to sensations rather than a choice not to care

I

insensitivity

vsinsensibility

16 5.5

A lack of care for other people's feelings or needs

is broader, referring also to reduced bodily awareness or response

O

obliviousness

vsinsensibility

2 7.4

Not noticing things happening around you

is about reduced responsiveness to sensations rather than mere forgetfulness

I

insentience

vsinsensibility

• Specialized

9.9

The state of not being able to feel or notice things

is reduced awareness or concern for sensations rather than total lack

I

insensitiveness

vsinsensibility

7.6

Not noticing or caring about how other people feel

is broader, covering both physical and emotional unresponsiveness

I

impercipience

vsinsensibility

9.9

A lack of awareness of what is happening

is about not feeling or responding to sensations as well as not perceiving

I

incognizance

vsinsensibility

9.9

Not knowing about something

is about lacking bodily or emotional responsiveness not only missing facts

I

impassibility

vsinsensibility

9.5

Not showing feeling or reaction to events

is broader, covering both physical unawareness and emotional nonresponse

Antonyms

A

awareness

336 3.2

Knowing about something or noticing it

S

sensibility

18 6.3

Ability to notice and respond to feelings or ideas

How Sensitive

sensitivity

• Specialized

15 4.2

insensibility

1 7.8

indifference

71 4.6

callousness

6 7.4

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology