unfeeling

American  

[uhn-fee-ling] / ʌnˈfi lɪŋ /

adjective

1. not feeling; devoid of feeling; insensible or insensate.

   Synonyms:

   numb

2. unsympathetic; callous.

   an intelligent but unfeeling man.

   Synonyms:

   hardhearted

   Antonyms:

   sympathetic

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unfeeling British  

/ ʌnˈfiːlɪŋ /

adjective

1. without sympathy; callous

2. without physical feeling or sensation

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Related Words

See hard.

Other Word Forms

• unfeelingly adverb
• unfeelingness noun

Etymology

Origin of unfeeling

before 1000; Middle English; Old English unfelende. See un- ¹, feel, -ing ²

Example Sentences

When a nameless secretary drops a sheaf of papers, Kornev’s response to help is instinctive, yet we cringe at the careless faux pas he commits in this unfeeling society.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Humans often defer to AI because its calculating, unfeeling nature implies objective authority, ignoring the reality that AI knowledge learns from the past to predict the future.

From Salon • Feb. 8, 2026

When he dismisses a contagion that killed millions as a “global gob of spit,” Mr. Tesson seems unfeeling and out of touch.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 11, 2025

Noughties celebrity culture will be remembered for stars like Amy Winehouse and Pete Doherty tackling troubles in the glare of publicity, while the tabloids and lad mags wielded unfeeling and voyeuristic power.

From BBC • Sep. 18, 2023

Where were prisoners kept in this vast, unfeeling city?

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood