casehardened
Made callously indifferent
Casehardened describes metal that has been treated to create a hard outer surface while keeping a softer, tougher interior—the best of both worlds for tools and machine parts.
The term extends to people who have become emotionally toughened or insensitive through prolonged exposure to difficulty: Years of emergency room work had left her casehardened.
Also spelled case-hardened.
Carbon-diffused into metal
- quenchedSatisfied a craving
- temperedStrengthened through heat treatment
- annealedHeat-softened then cooled
- heat-treatedThermally processed for strength
wear-resistant · abrasion-resistant · diffusion · microstructure · cryogenic · ferrous · alloy · carbon
Durable and strong
- durableAble to withstand use
- hardyAble to endure difficulty
- enduringPersisting through time
- unyieldingRefusing to give way
sturdy · robust · tenacious · seasoned · tempered · tested · proven · rugged
Cruelly insensitive to others
- unfeelingWithout compassion or emotion
- imperviousUnable to be affected
- numbLacking physical sensation
- thick-skinnedResistant to criticism
steeled · toughened · inured · desensitized · battle-scarred · world-weary · jaded · cynical
carburized
Carbon-diffused into metal
- quenchedSatisfied a craving
- temperedStrengthened through heat treatment
- annealedHeat-softened then cooled
heat-treated · wear-resistant · abrasion-resistant · diffusion · microstructure · cryogenic · ferrous · alloy · carbon · hardness
tough
Durable and strong
unyielding · sturdy · robust · tenacious · seasoned · tempered · tested · proven · rugged · strong
callous
Cruelly insensitive to others
- unfeelingWithout compassion or emotion
- imperviousUnable to be affected
- numbLacking physical sensation
thick-skinned · steeled · toughened · inured · desensitized · battle-scarred · world-weary · jaded · cynical · embittered
casehardenedsensitive
Easily affected emotionally
tender · softhearted · feeling · tenderhearted · vulnerable
casehardenedsoft
Yielding to touch
malleable · untreated · ductile · annealed · unhardened
casehardenednaive
Innocently unsuspecting
innocent · unseasoned · inexperienced · green · unworldly