hardheartedness
Lack of compassion
Hardheartedness is the quality of being unfeeling or unsympathetic toward others' suffering.
It suggests a deliberate coldness—someone who could show compassion but chooses not to: His hardheartedness toward the homeless surprised everyone who knew him.
The word implies moral failing rather than mere emotional distance.
Feeling lingering ill will
- implacableIncapable of being pacified
- relentlessContinuing without pause
- vindictiveSeeking harm from resentment
- unrelentingRefusing to let up
remorseless · unappeasable · intransigent · uncompromising · inflexible · rigid · unyielding · inexorable
Without compassion or emotion
- pitilessLacking any compassion
- mercilessShowing no clemency
- heartlessLacking pity or mercy
- uncompassionateWithout sympathy or mercy
cold-blooded · unsympathetic · stony · unmoved · uncharitable · flinty · obdurate · indurate
Intensity of sternness
- strictnessInflexibility in enforcement
- harshnessUnsparing quality or manner
- rigidityState of being unbending
- inflexibilityQuality of being unbending
firmness · austerity · rigor · unyielding · demanding · uncompromising · authoritarian · disciplinarian
Absence of feeling
- unconcernAbsence of worry
- detachmentSeparation or emotional uninvolvement
- aloofnessEmotional unavailability, standoffishness
- disregardWillful lack of attention
dispassion · impassivity · emotionlessness · coldness · numbness · unresponsiveness · disengagement · withdrawal
resentful
Feeling lingering ill will
- implacableIncapable of being pacified
- relentlessContinuing without pause
- vindictiveSeeking harm from resentment
unrelenting · remorseless · unappeasable · intransigent · uncompromising · inflexible · rigid · unyielding · inexorable · merciless
unfeeling
Without compassion or emotion
uncompassionate · cold-blooded · unsympathetic · stony · unmoved · uncharitable · flinty · obdurate · indurate · insensate
severity
Intensity of sternness
- strictnessInflexibility in enforcement
- harshnessUnsparing quality or manner
- rigidityState of being unbending
inflexibility · firmness · austerity · rigor · unyielding · demanding · uncompromising · authoritarian · disciplinarian · unbending
apathy
Absence of feeling
- unconcernAbsence of worry
- detachmentSeparation or emotional uninvolvement
- aloofnessEmotional unavailability, standoffishness
disregard · dispassion · impassivity · emotionlessness · coldness · numbness · unresponsiveness · disengagement · withdrawal · stoicism
- Heart compoundswarmhearted, coldhearted, kindhearted, wholehearted, halfhearted
- vicesgreed, envy, lust, gluttony, vanity
- coldnesscold, chill, freeze, freezing, coolness
- vengeancerevenge, vengeance, vendetta, retribution, retaliation
hardheartednesssoftheartedness
Emotional warmth toward others
tenderness · compassion · warmheartedness · sympathy · empathy
hardheartednessbenevolence
Disposition toward doing good
charity · generosity · kindness · magnanimity · open-handedness
hardness, hardheaded, hard-hearted, hardhearted, hardhead, hardheartedly