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coldhearted

coldhearted

4 6.0
Showing no care or sympathy for other people
  • adjective
  • /ˈkoʊldˌhɑːrtɪd/
translation icon : desalmado
  • It might sound coldhearted, but it is the only way to know for certain whether, and for whom, current remedies actually work.
  • coldhearted bastard
  • coldhearted son
  • coldhearted old

Examples

  • No matter how you twist or twirl it, it was a cruel and coldhearted act.

    Blog text (26)
  • What Frankenstein said made sense, in a callous, coldhearted way.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • And that is why Paradise is coldhearted.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • He went from being an extremely sweet, caring man to someone so coldhearted and distant.

    Blog text (1)
  • Humans don't like to be seen as coldhearted, so a starting point might be to point out all the people dying all over the world while you sit in the box, unable to save them.

    Blog text (2)
  • And as important as loyalty is to you and to me, to most of the people in this goddamned place, it's coldhearted pragmatism that rules the day.

    Fiction book (2001)
  • I believe therein lies the answer to all of our grief, our anger, and our despair over this newest of senseless and coldhearted massacres.

    Blog text (17)
  • He is known for his coldhearted decisions in business, caring little for the feelings of others.

  • Despite her friends' misfortune, she remained coldhearted and refused to help them.

  • His coldhearted remarks during the meeting shocked everyone, showing a complete lack of empathy.

Synonyms

cold
vscoldhearted
883 4.4

Unfriendly and distant in feeling or action

is closer to lacking sympathy or compassion rather than just being distant
heartless
vscoldhearted
  • Offensive
79 4.1

Not showing kindness or sympathy to others

is similar but may not always include active cruelty or harshness
cold-blooded
vscoldhearted
  • Offensive
54 6.1

Showing no pity and acting cruel on purpose

is similar but does not always imply deliberate or planned cruelty
icy
vscoldhearted
22 3.3

Cold and unfriendly in tone or manner

is about lacking sympathy more than merely a chilly manner
chilly
vscoldhearted
16 3.5

Not friendly or warm toward other people

is stronger, indicating real lack of sympathy rather than mild coldness
unfeeling
vscoldhearted
14 5.9

Not showing sympathy or care for other people's feelings

is about lacking sympathy specifically toward others rather than inner numbness
unsympathetic
vscoldhearted
7 4.9

Not feeling sorry for someone or caring about their problems

is similar but stresses emotional coldness rather than mere lack of concern
stony
vscoldhearted
7 6.5

Showing no feeling or sympathy

is broader, including overall lack of feeling not only facial hardness
remorseless
vscoldhearted
6 7.5

Not feeling sorry and continuing without stopping when hurting others

is about lack of sympathy without the strong idea of relentless cruelty
cold as ice
vscoldhearted
  • Informal
4 7.2

Not showing any feeling or kindness to others

is similar but is the plain adjective used in ordinary statements
flinty
vscoldhearted
2 8.1

Not showing feelings or care and seeming cold and unkind

is similar but does not focus specifically on a very hard expression
kindless
vscoldhearted
  • Archaic
1 8.6

A person who does not show care for other people

is about lacking sympathy but not necessarily implying deliberate cruelty
hardhearted
vscoldhearted
1 7.2

Not feeling or showing pity for other people

is about emotional coldness rather than frequent merciless action
stonyhearted
vscoldhearted
9.6

Not feeling sorry for other people

is broader, covering general emotional coldness not only firm hardness
cold as charity
vscoldhearted
  • Archaic
9.9

Acting kind but not showing real care

is the straightforward descriptive term rather than a comparative phrase
cold as a witch's kiss
vscoldhearted
  • Literature
9.9

Showing no warmth or feeling

is like this but does not always mean extreme unfriendliness
cold-livered
vscoldhearted
  • Offensive
9.9

Does not feel or show care for other people

is similar but not always used to suggest cruelty or nastiness

Antonyms

151 3.7

Feeling concern and care for people who suffer

30 4.4

To understand and share other people's feelings

1 3.7

Kind and friendly to other people

How Unsympathetic

heartless
  • Offensive
79 4.1
callous
41 7.3
coldhearted
4 6.0
unfeeling
14 5.9

Surface Forms

coldhearted positive
coldhearteder comparative
coldheartedest superlative

Morphology

coldhearted = cold + hearted (transparent) = cold + heart + ed

The meaning follows directly from the combination of 'cold' + 'heart' + '-ed' (having a cold heart → lacking sympathy).

Etymology

Coldhearted joins cold ('without warmth') and heart ('feelings'), so it creates a picture of someone whose feelings are chilly and distant. That's why the word means a person who is 'without sympathy'.