Callous | Definition, Meaning & Examples
Callous is an adjective meaning “cruel” or “lacking sympathy.”
I don’t mean to be callous, but I’m not loaning you any more money.
Zadie is not usually callous; she was just having a bad day.
The doctor seemed callous when he delivered the bad news.
Calloused or callused
The adjective calloused (with an “o”) describes an area of skin that has been hardened by friction. While calloused is the standard spelling, callused (no “o”) is an accepted variant.
Dion’s feet were calloused/callused from walking the Camino de Santiago.
Even though callused and calloused are interchangeable, callus and callous are not. So it would be incorrect to describe someone as “callus” or to say that you had “a callous.”
Other interesting language articles
If you want to know more about commonly confused words, definitions, and differences between US and UK spellings, make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.
Confused words
Definitions
US vs. UK spellings
Frequently asked questions
- What is a synonym for “callous”?
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Some synonyms for “callous” include:
- Brutal
- Cruel
- Hard
- Harsh
- Heartless
- Inhuman
- Insensitive
- Unsympathetic
- What is an antonym of “callous”?
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Some antonyms (opposites) for “callous” include:
- Compassionate
- Humane
- Kind
- Sensitive
- Sympathetic
- Tender
- Understanding
- Warm
- Warmhearted
Sources in this article
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This Scribbr articleRyan, E. (September 5, 2022). Callous | Definition, Meaning & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved October 17, 2022, from https://www.scribbr.com/definitions/callous/
