Insensate — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /(ˌ)in-ˈsen-ˌsāt/ in·sen·sate

Meaning & Definition of Insensate

Insensate (adjective)

  1. lacking sense or understanding; also, foolish
  2. lacking animate awareness or sensation
  3. lacking humane feeling, brutal

Insensate (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. lacking animate awareness or sensation

    "the belief that God is immanent in all things, even insensate objects"

    similar: inanimate, insensible, insentient, senseless, unfeeling
    related: exanimate, lifeless, comatose, unconscious
    opposite: animate, feeling, sensate, sensible, sensitive, sentient
    near: aware, cognizant, conscious, animated, lively, vibrant

  2. having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings

    "an insensate boss who refuses to allow time off for funerals"

    similar: affectless, callous, case-hardened, cold-blooded, compassionless, desensitized, hard, hard-boiled, hard-hearted, heartless, indurate, inhuman, inhumane, insensitive, ironhearted, merciless, obdurate, pachydermatous, pitiless, remorseless, ruthless, slash-and-burn, soulless, stony, stonyhearted, take-no-prisoners, thick-skinned, uncharitable, unfeeling, unmerciful, unsparing, unsympathetic
    related: boorish, heedless, inconsiderate, thoughtless, uncaring, unfriendly, unloving, unthinking, grim, hard-bitten, harsh, heavy-handed, ironfisted, ironhanded, jackbooted, knock-down, drag-out, oppressive, rough, rough-and-tumble, severe, sledgehammer, stern, tough, ungentle, abusive, acrimonious, disagreeable, hateful, ill-natured, ill-tempered, malevolent, malicious, mean, rancorous, spiteful, surly, virulent, barbarous, bestial, brutal, brutish, cruel, evil-minded, savage, vicious, austere, cold, frosty
    opposite: charitable, compassionate, humane, kindhearted, kindly, merciful, sensitive, softhearted, sympathetic, tender, tenderhearted, warm, warmhearted
    near: benevolent, benignant, gentle, kind, clement, indulgent, lenient, mild, cordial, friendly, good-natured, good-tempered, gracious, tolerant, understanding, affectionate, fond, loving

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Insensate

The most common words with a similar meaning to Insensate:

inanimate, insensible, insentient, senseless, unfeeling, affectless, callous, case-hardened, cold-blooded, compassionless, desensitized, hard, hard-boiled, hard-hearted, heartless, indurate, inhuman, inhumane, insensitive, ironhearted, merciless, obdurate, pachydermatous, pitiless, remorseless, ruthless, slash-and-burn, soulless, stony, stonyhearted, take-no-prisoners, thick-skinned, uncharitable, unmerciful, unsparing, unsympathetic

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Insensate

Words with the opposite meaning of Insensate:

animate, feeling, sensate, sensible, sensitive, sentient, charitable, compassionate, humane, kindhearted, kindly, merciful, softhearted, sympathetic, tender, tenderhearted, warm, warmhearted

Related Words for Insensate

exanimate, lifeless, comatose, unconscious, boorish, heedless, inconsiderate, thoughtless, uncaring, unfriendly, unloving, unthinking, grim, hard-bitten, harsh, heavy-handed, ironfisted, ironhanded, jackbooted, knock-down, drag-out, oppressive, rough, rough-and-tumble, severe, sledgehammer, stern, tough, ungentle, abusive, acrimonious

Near Antonyms of Insensate

aware, cognizant, conscious, animated, lively, vibrant, benevolent, benignant, gentle, kind, clement, indulgent, lenient, mild, cordial, friendly, good-natured, good-tempered, gracious, tolerant, understanding, affectionate, fond, loving

Word Forms of Insensate

Derived words: insensately (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Insensate

Late Latin insensatus, from Latin in- + Late Latin sensatus having sense, from Latin sensus sense

First known use: 15th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Insensate

What does "Insensate" mean?

"Insensate" means lacking sense or understanding; also, foolish. As an adjective, it is defined as: lacking sense or understanding; also, foolish. It has 2 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Insensate"?

Other words for "Insensate" include inanimate, insensible, insentient, senseless, unfeeling, affectless, callous and case-hardened. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Insensate" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Insensate"?

There are 88 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Insensate". Common alternatives include inanimate, insensible, insentient, senseless, unfeeling, affectless, callous, case-hardened, cold-blooded and compassionless.

What is the opposite of "Insensate"?

Antonyms of "Insensate" include animate, feeling, sensate, sensible, sensitive, sentient, charitable and compassionate. Near antonyms include aware, cognizant, conscious and animated.

How do you use "Insensate" in a sentence?

Examples of "Insensate" in a sentence: "the belief that God is immanent in all things, even insensate objects"; "an insensate boss who refuses to allow time off for funerals".

Is "Insensate" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Insensate" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Insensate"?

"Insensate" is pronounced /(ˌ)in-ˈsen-ˌsāt/ and divided into syllables as in·sen·sate.

What is the origin of the word "Insensate"?

"Insensate" comes from Late Latin insensatus, from Latin in- + Late Latin sensatus having sense, from Latin sensus sense. First known use: 15th century.