Callous

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

adjective

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

adjective

💡

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

🔊

KAW-luhs (sounds like 'call us')

👀

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

📝

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

📚

callousnessnoun

callouslyadverb

callousedadjective

🔗

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

📌

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