callous

(kăl'əs)
adj.

1. Having calluses; toughened: callous skin on the elbow.
2. Emotionally hardened; unfeeling: a callous indifference to the suffering of others.

tr. & intr.v., -loused, -lous·ing, -lous·es.
To make or become callous.

[Middle English, from Old French cailleux, from Latin callōsus, from callum, hard skin.]

callously cal'lous·ly adv.
callousness cal'lous·ness n.

USAGE NOTE   Do not confuse the adjective callous, as in Years of dealing with criminals had left her callous, with the noun callus, as in I have a callus on my thumb. Also, do not confuse the verb callous, which means "to make or become callous," with the verb callus "to form or develop hardened tissue."

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adjective

Completely lacking in compassion: cold-blooded, cold-hearted, compassionless, hard, hard-boiled, hardened, hardhearted, heartless, obdurate, stonyhearted, unfeeling. See attitude/good attitude/bad attitude/neutral attitude.

adj

Definition: cruel, insensitive
Antonyms: compassionate, feeling, kind, nice, sensitive, sympathetic, tender

A cynical view of the world by Ambrose Bierce

adj.

Gifted with great fortitude to bear the evils afflicting another.

When Zeno was told that one of his enemies was no more he was observed to be deeply moved. "What!" said one of his disciples, "you weep at the death of an enemy?" "Ah, 'tis true," replied the great Stoic; "but you should see me smile at the death of a friend."

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IN BRIEF: Without regard for the feelings or sufferings of others.

They had a callous disregard for the other team's feelings.

Tutor's tip: The doctor was "callous" (insensitive, cold in manner) when I showed her the painful "callus" (thick hard skin layer) on my finger.

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Of the nature of a callus; hard.

For a list of words related to callous, see:

• Cold, Unfriendly, Irritable, or Cruel

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See words rhyming with "callous."

Dansk (Danish)
adj. - hård (hud), ufølsom, hjerteløs
n. - hård hud
v. tr., -
v. intr. - danne hård hud

Nederlands (Dutch)
ongevoelig, verhard, eeltplek

Français (French)
adj. - insensible, endurci, dur, sans c¯ur, calleux
n. - peau calleuse
v. tr. - endurcir
v. intr. - s'endurcir

Deutsch (German)
adj. - gefühllos, lieblos, schwielig
n. - Schwiele, Kallus
v. - verhärten, gefühllos werden

Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - ασυγκίνητος, άκαρδος, ροζιασμένος

Italiano (Italian)
insensibile

Português (Portuguese)
adj. - calejado, insensível

Русский (Russian)
огрубелый, черствый

Español (Spanish)
adj. - calloso, insensible, duro
n. - lleno de callos, persona o zona del cuerpo insensible
v. tr. - tener callosidades
v. intr. - tener callosidades

Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - valkig, känslokall
v. - göra valkig

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
麻木的, 坚硬的, 无情的, 硬皮, 老茧, 使硬结, 使麻木, 变硬, 结茧, 变得冷酷无情

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 麻木的, 堅硬的, 無情的
n. - 硬皮, 老繭
v. tr. - 使硬結, 使麻木
v. intr. - 變硬, 結繭, 變得冷酷無情

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 못이 박힌, 무감각한
n. - 굳은 살
v. tr. - ~하게 하다
v. intr. - ~하게 되다

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 硬くなった, 無感覚な

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(صفه) قوي, صلب, قاسي القلب (فعل) يقسي, يصلب‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮מיובל, קשוח, לא-רגיש‬
n. - ‮קטע עור או רקמה קשים‬
v. tr. - ‮עשה לקשה‬
v. intr. - ‮התקשה‬

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