Unfeeling — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˌən-ˈfē-liŋ/ un·feel·ing

Meaning & Definition of Unfeeling

Unfeeling (adjective)

  1. devoid of feeling, insensate
  2. lacking kindness or sympathy, hard-hearted

Unfeeling (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

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

    "gave the homeless people on the street only an unfeeling glance"

    similar: affectless, callous, case-hardened, cold-blooded, compassionless, desensitized, hard, hard-boiled, hard-hearted, heartless, indurate, inhuman, inhumane, insensate, insensitive, ironhearted, merciless, obdurate, pachydermatous, pitiless, remorseless, ruthless, slash-and-burn, soulless, stony, stonyhearted, take-no-prisoners, thick-skinned, uncharitable, 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

  2. lacking in sensation or feeling

    "her heart was as cold and hard as the unfeeling marble statue in her garden"

    similar: asleep, benumbed, dead, insensitive, numb, numbed, torpid
    related: chilled, nipped, anesthetized, cocainized, deadened, drugged, stupefied, blunted, dulled, obtunded, insensible, senseless, unconscious, inanimate, insensate
    opposite: feeling, sensible, sensitive
    near: awake

  3. lacking animate awareness or sensation

    "she spoke politely even to the unfeeling virtual assistant on her phone"

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

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Unfeeling

The most common words with a similar meaning to Unfeeling:

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

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Unfeeling

Words with the opposite meaning of Unfeeling:

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

Related Words for Unfeeling

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

Near Antonyms of Unfeeling

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

Word Forms of Unfeeling

Derived words: unfeelingly (adverb), unfeelingness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Unfeeling

First known use: before 12th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Unfeeling

What does "Unfeeling" mean?

"Unfeeling" means devoid of feeling, insensate. As an adjective, it is defined as: devoid of feeling, insensate. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Unfeeling"?

Other words for "Unfeeling" include affectless, callous, case-hardened, cold-blooded, compassionless, desensitized, hard and hard-boiled. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Unfeeling" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Unfeeling"?

There are 104 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Unfeeling". Common alternatives include affectless, callous, case-hardened, cold-blooded, compassionless, desensitized, hard, hard-boiled, hard-hearted and heartless.

What is the opposite of "Unfeeling"?

Antonyms of "Unfeeling" include charitable, compassionate, humane, kindhearted, kindly, merciful, sensitive and softhearted. Near antonyms include benevolent, benignant, gentle and kind.

How do you use "Unfeeling" in a sentence?

Examples of "Unfeeling" in a sentence: "gave the homeless people on the street only an unfeeling glance"; "her heart was as cold and hard as the unfeeling marble statue in her garden"; "she spoke politely even to the unfeeling virtual assistant on her phone".

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

"Unfeeling" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Unfeeling"?

"Unfeeling" is pronounced /ˌən-ˈfē-liŋ/ and divided into syllables as un·feel·ing.

What is the origin of the word "Unfeeling"?

First known use: before 12th century.