callous

[kal-uhs] / ˈkæl əs /

ADJECTIVE

cruel, insensitive

Synonyms

STRONGEST

apathetic careless cold-blooded heartless indifferent insensitive uncaring unsympathetic

STRONG

hardened indurated inured toughened unbending

WEAK

blind to case-hardened cold deaf to hard hard-bitten hard-boiled hardhearted impassive impenitent inflexible insensate insensible insentient obdurate soulless spiritless stiff stony stubborn thick-skinned torpid tough unaffected uncompassionate unconcerned unfeeling unimpressionable unresponsive unsusceptible

Antonyms

STRONGEST

caring compassionate concerned feeling interested kind merciful mindful nice responsive sympathetic

WEAK

sensitive tender

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

One place to start is reversing the agency’s arbitrary and callous rejections of rare disease and cancer treatments.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026

The idea that a warning should change the legal calculus of excessive force, now at the center of both of these cases, is callous and illogical.

From Slate • Apr. 21, 2026

“The victims of the suspect Central officers took into custody will be impacted by his callous acts for a very long time,” Muniz said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 28, 2026

After their failure, Tessa is reprogrammed to be cold and callous, trained to finish the job at any cost, even if it means destroying the love between her and Thia.

From Salon • Jan. 24, 2026

I’m expecting him to be brusque, but his hands are—not gentle, exactly, but not callous, either.

From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir

Vocabulary lists containing callous

The Vocabulary.com Top 1000

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 2

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!