adj
Uncommon
heartless
HAHT-lihs
Heartless (adj) means lacking compassion or feeling for others; cruel. Example: “It was heartless of him to fire her the day before her wedding.”
adj
1
Lacking compassion or feeling for others; cruel.
"His heartless actions and cold manner left her saddened and feeling alone."
"It was heartless of him to fire her the day before her wedding."
"Only a heartless landlord would evict a family in winter."
"It's safer to be heartless than mindless. The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless."
— Antony Jay, The Smoke Screen (1986)
How to use heartless
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishCold and cruel, showing no sympathy for other people's suffering.
Common pairings
a heartless act
heartless treatment
utterly heartless
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more heartless
- Superlative
- most heartless
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
It was _____ of him to fire her the day before her wedding.
Etymology
From Old English heortlēas, literally "without a heart" — originally could also mean cowardly, though the "cruel, unfeeling" sense is now dominant.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “heartless” mean?
The word “heartless” means lacking compassion or feeling for others; cruel. In plain terms, cold and cruel, showing no sympathy for other people's suffering.
How do you pronounce “heartless”?
“Heartless” is pronounced HAHT-lihs (/ˈhɑɹt.lɪs/ in IPA).
How do you use “heartless” in a sentence?
Here is “heartless” used in a sentence: “It was heartless of him to fire her the day before her wedding.”
What part of speech is “heartless”?
“Heartless” is an adjective.
Where does the word “heartless” come from?
The word “heartless” comes from Old English. From Old English heortlēas, literally "without a heart" — originally could also mean cowardly, though the "cruel, unfeeling" sense is now dominant.
Is “heartless” a common word?
“Heartless” is an uncommon word in modern English.
