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Callous

Showing or having an insensitive and cruel disregard for others; emotionally hardened.

adjective

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Imagine This

Imagine a manager hearing a coworker's distress and replying with a shrug and a cold joke, showing no sympathy at all.

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Sounds Like

KAW-luhs (sounds like 'call us')

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Looks Like

resembles 'callus' (thickened skin) visually; note the similar spelling

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Remember This

Callous describes a lack of empathy as well as literally thickened skin; related words include 'callus' (thick skin) and 'calloused' (adjective).

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Other Forms

callousnessnoun

callouslyadverb

callousedadjective

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Connect With

insensitive, unfeeling, hard-hearted, indifferent, cold-hearted

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Note

Note the common confusion with 'callous' vs 'callus' (skin). Also avoid confusing with 'careless,' which means lacking caution, not lacking empathy.

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Study Deeper

Examples

The referee's callous disregard for the players' safety drew sharp criticism from fans.
Her callous remarks about the homeless were deeply offensive.

Synonyms

insensitiveunfeelinghard-heartedcold-heartedindifferent

Antonyms

compassionateempatheticcaring

Etymology

From Latin callosus 'thick-skinned', from callus 'hard skin', via Old French and Middle English; the figurative sense ('lacking pity') developed from the idea of a thick skin.

Mnemonic

Mnemonic: Thick skin = callous. Imagine your hands developing a thick callus from hard work, just as a callous person develops a thick skin emotionally.

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