Definition

Noun: 1. Insensitivity to criticism or insults: A figurative quality describing a person's ability to endure disapproval, mockery, or verbal attacks without becoming upset or offended. 2. Literally, thick skin (as of an elephant or rhinoceros): The physical, tough, and heavy hide of certain animals.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Figurative):
  • To be a politician, you need a thick skin to handle constant public scrutiny.
  • Her thick skin allowed her to ignore the negative comments online.
• Noun (Literal):
  • The thick skin of the rhinoceros provides protection from predators.

Advanced Usage

• "To have a thick skin": To possess the quality of being emotionally resilient.
  • You must have a thick skin to work in customer service.
• "To develop/grow a thick skin": To become less sensitive over time through experience.
  • After years of performing, she developed a thick skin about reviews.

Variants and Related Words

• Thick-skinned (adjective): Describing a person who is not easily offended.
  • He is so thick-skinned that harsh feedback never bothers him.

Synonyms

• Resilience: The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties.
• Imperviousness: The quality of not being affected by something.
• Callousness (can have a negative connotation): Emotional insensitivity.

Related Idioms

• "To be thin-skinned": The opposite idiom, meaning to be overly sensitive to criticism.
  • He is too thin-skinned for such a competitive field.

Noun

1. skin that is very thick (as an elephant or rhinoceros)