heartless

[ hahrt-lis ]

adjective

1. unfeeling; unkind; unsympathetic; harsh; cruel:

   heartless words; a heartless ruler.

2. Archaic. lacking courage or enthusiasm; spiritless; disheartened.

heartless

/ ˈhɑːtlɪs /

adjective

1. unkind or cruel; hard-hearted

Derived Forms

• ˈheartlessly, adverb
• ˈheartlessness, noun

Other Words From

• heartless·ly adverb
• heartless·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of heartless¹

1300–50; Middle English herteles, Old English heortlēas. See heart, -less

Example Sentences

But I think Trump 2.0 is going to present millions of people with difficult ethical and moral choices, because I fear he is going to wield power in sometimes unimaginably cruel and heartless ways.

From Salon

A widespread uprooting of families and innocents as a heedless and heartless deportation policy drives a scythe through immigrant communities.

From Los Angeles Times

I imagine that when you imagine a TV critic, you picture some hard-boiled, crusty, even heartless type.

From Los Angeles Times

Trump and his ilk suddenly went from being terrifying, offensive, and heartless to lame, ridiculous, weirdo whiners.

From Salon

White Christian nationalism merges with the most extreme elements of capitalism to enforce cruel and heartless policies of dispossession, elimination, and a politics of disposability.

From Salon

Related Words

• brutal
• callous
• cold-blooded
• cruel
• harsh
• inhuman
• insensitive
• merciless
• ruthless
• uncaring
• unkind