1
as in ruthless
having or showing a lack of sympathy or tender feelings
gave them an unsympathetic look and pointed out that they'd brought the problem on themselves
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in icy
lacking in friendliness or warmth of feeling
an aloof and unsympathetic man who does not engage in small talk
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in hostile
marked by opposition or ill will
a bohemian artist who found the unsympathetic environment of the small town too much to bear
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in negative
opposed to one's interests
an unsympathetic reaction to her proposal to ban trans fats from the company cafeteria
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unsympathetic
Perhaps the most succinct way to illustrate the difference is that Kiritsis really did seem crazy and thus, unsympathetic.
—
Mick Lasalle, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Jan. 2026
Noah Baumbach loves to find sympathy in unsympathetic subjects—the awkward title character of Greenberg, the caustic writer played by Nicole Kidman in Margot at the Wedding, the bitter divorced couple of Marriage Story.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 14 Nov. 2025
Many young consumers, already juggling high costs for food, rent, and education, and crushed by an unsympathetic labor market, are entering adulthood with the self-care budget of a socialite twice their age.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 9 Nov. 2025
The petulant, back-stabby intrigue between various parties here sometimes makes the hero rather unsympathetic, with photogenic singer-actor Pena Hernandez’s puppyish turn not conveying a great deal of complexity, let alone artistic o intellectual potential.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsympathetic
Mick Lasalle, San Francisco Chronicle, 5 Jan. 2026
Noah Baumbach loves to find sympathy in unsympathetic subjects—the awkward title character of Greenberg, the caustic writer played by Nicole Kidman in Margot at the Wedding, the bitter divorced couple of Marriage Story.
—David Sims, The Atlantic, 14 Nov. 2025
Many young consumers, already juggling high costs for food, rent, and education, and crushed by an unsympathetic labor market, are entering adulthood with the self-care budget of a socialite twice their age.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 9 Nov. 2025
The petulant, back-stabby intrigue between various parties here sometimes makes the hero rather unsympathetic, with photogenic singer-actor Pena Hernandez’s puppyish turn not conveying a great deal of complexity, let alone artistic o intellectual potential.
—Dennis Harvey, Variety, 31 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unsympathetic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unsympathetic
Adjective
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Sure, he’s driven by vengeance and ruthless in his pursuit, but — without spoiling anything — his motivation is clouded at best, misplaced at worst.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Michael’s brother Sonny (James Caan) becomes the de facto crime boss as the Corleones prosecute a turf war against their rivals, and Michael eventually emerges as the new, and much more ruthless boss, much to the horror of his wife, Kay (Diane Keaton).—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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There could be as many as ~1017 icy, round objects in hydrostatic equilibrium in the Milky Way galaxy alone, most of which are likely not bound to a parent star at all.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
30 Apr. 2026
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What Happens in Your Brain During Ice Bath The instant icy water hits your skin, your brain’s stress system flips on.—
Samantha Agate,
Miami Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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These Knicks still need to close the Hawks out in hostile territory in Game 6.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
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Extreme recovery conditions The Asse II mine presents a uniquely hostile environment.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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According to Newsweek, the overall score was composed of 80% from survey results, and 20% from social listening analysis, which analyzed media coverage and online discussion to assess whether public sentiment was positive, neutral or negative.—
Finch Walker,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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The contest aims to challenge negative stereotypes of seagulls, which are often seen as a nuisance, by imitating them, per local network WTV.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Fleeing into the desert with her father, she is hunted by a merciless army and forced to trust a legendary bandit (Mackie) with secrets of his own.—
Mark Meszoros,
Twin Cities,
25 Apr. 2026
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This commentary was not from a wonkish TikToker nor a network pundit but from TMZ, the merciless purveyor of celebrity dirt, which published the images of Graham after a citizen vacationer noticed the senator flitting through the theme park and sent pictures.—
Paula Mejía,
New Yorker,
15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The findings indicate that 3I/ATLAS, just the third interstellar object discovered passing through the solar system, formed in a much more frigid region of space compared to our planetary backyard.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
23 Apr. 2026
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The water is frigid during the spring, but visitors can still relax on the shoreline and play in the sand at Napatree Point, Watch Hill Beach and East Beach, which boasts views of the easternmost end of New York’s Long Island.—
Catherine Garcia,
TheWeek,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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If the resolution is unfavorable to the community groups — who are also backed by the Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg — that frustration will fall back on somebody, Bokhari said.—
Nick Sullivan,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Apr. 2026
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With race and ethnicity always a factor in Chicago politics, white respondents had the most unfavorable view of the city’s Black mayor, at 54%, while 27% of white respondents viewed Johnson favorably.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In a vast stony tract of desert a three-hour drive south of Cairo, tucked between jagged black mountains and the glittering Gulf of Suez, a group of Chinese engineers is quietly rewiring Egypt’s energy strategy.—
Tim McDonnell,
semafor.com,
14 Apr. 2026
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Hikers can traverse the stony beds of Cliffy Creek and snap photos of the park's four iconic waterfalls.—
Joie Probst,
Midwest Living,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unsympathetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unsympathetic. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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