hardhearted
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Lacking in sympathy, compassion, or kindness; unfeeling. A "hardhearted" person shows no pity or concern for the suffering or problems of others. Their emotional response is cold and unsympathetic.
- Firm, unyielding, or severe in judgment or disposition. This meaning emphasizes a stern, inflexible character that is not easily moved by appeals to emotion.
Examples of Usage
- Adjective:
- The landlord was hardhearted and evicted the family despite knowing their difficult circumstances.
- It would take a hardhearted person not to be moved by the charity's appeal.
- The judge's hardhearted decision left no room for mercy.
Advanced Usage
- "To be hardhearted toward someone/something": To specifically lack compassion for a particular person or group.
- She was surprisingly hardhearted toward the pleas of her former friend.
- The term often carries a strong negative moral judgment, implying the person's lack of feeling is a character flaw.
Variants and Related Words
- Hardheartedly (adverb): In a hardhearted manner.
- He hardheartedly refused to help.
- Hardheartedness (noun): The quality or state of being hardhearted.
- His hardheartedness was shocking to everyone.
Synonyms
- Callous: Emotionally hardened; insensitive.
- Unfeeling: Lacking kindness or compassion.
- Heartless: Completely lacking in feeling or mercy.
- Cold-hearted: Lacking sympathy or warmth.
- Merciless: Showing no mercy.
Antonyms
- Compassionate: Feeling or showing sympathy and concern for others.
- Kind-hearted: Having a kind and sympathetic nature.
- Tenderhearted: Having a gentle, sympathetic, and compassionate nature.
- Merciful: Showing or exercising mercy.
Adjective
- devoid of feeling for others
- an unfeeling wretch
- lacking in feeling or pity or warmth