Callous | Definition, Meaning & Examples
Callous is an adjective that means “hard-hearted” or “cruel.”
There was an almost callous coldness to the way she served out the last game to win the match.
Saying “no” to your children can be very hard, and they will sometimes see you as callous for the things you do.
Because they have to maintain some emotional distance, doctors can appear callous when dealing with their patients.
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Calloused or callused
Calloused is an adjective that describes a patch of skin (usually on the hands or feet) that has been made hard through constant use and friction. There is a variant spelling, callused, which is less common but equally acceptable.
The podiatrist set to work on Jim’s calloused/callused feet, confident that the treatment would bring relief.
You can use callused and calloused interchangeably, but this is not true of callus and callous. You cannot say a person is “callus” or that you have “a callous” on your heel.
Frequently asked questions about callous
- What is a synonym for callous?
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There are a good number of synonyms for callous, including:
- Cruel
- Heartless
- Brutal
- Inhuman
- Insensitive
- Unsympathetic
- Hard
- Hard-hearted
- Harsh
Try our sentence rephraser to vary your writing and express your intended meaning.
- What is an antonym for callous?
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There are plenty of antonyms for callous, including:
- Kind
- Humane
- Compassionate
- Sensitive
- Warm
- Tender
- Warmhearted
- Sympathetic
- Understanding
Try our sentence rephraser to vary your writing and express your intended meaning.
