callous
gb/kˈæləs/ us/kˈæləs/
B2
English
érzéketlen, szívtelen, eltompult, kérges, megkérgesedett, bőrkeményedés
C1
1
érzéketlen
B2
szívtelen
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone] is callous (about/toward[s]) [someone/something]
It was callous of him to joke about her illness.
Érzéketlen volt tőle, hogy a betegségével viccelődött.
The report criticized the company’s callous treatment of injured workers.
A jelentés bírálta a vállalat sérült dolgozókkal szembeni érzéketlen bánásmódját.
Her callous remarks upset everyone in the room.
Learner examples
His words were callous.
A szavai érzéketlenek voltak.
It is callous to ignore someone in pain.
Érzéketlen dolog semmibe venni valakit, aki fájdalmat érez.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse callous (adj) with callus/callous (noun) meaning a hard area of skin.
Meaning
cruelly insensitive to others
Collocations
callous remark
|callous comments
|callous attitude
|callous behavior
|callous treatment
|callous decision
|callous response
|callous laugh
|callous joke
|callous employer
Synonyms
heartless (Stronger and more judgmental; emphasizes lack of compassion.)
|
insensitive (Often milder; can suggest carelessness rather than cruelty.)
|
cold (Highlights emotional distance; may be less explicitly cruel.)
|
unfeeling (Emphasizes lack of emotion or sympathy.)
Antonyms
compassionate (Shows sympathy and care for others’ suffering.)
|
sensitive (Aware of and responsive to others’ feelings.)
|
caring (Shows concern and kindness toward others.)
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|behavior
Definition
not caring about other people’s feelings
Not caring about other people’s feelings or suffering; emotionally hard and often cruel.
C1
2
érzéketlen
B2
eltompult
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone] becomes/is callous to [something]
After years in the emergency room, she worried she was becoming callous to other people’s pain.
Az ügyeleten töltött évek után attól tartott, hogy érzéketlenné válik mások fájdalmával szemben.
We shouldn’t grow callous to images of war.
Nem szabad érzéketlenné válnunk a háborús képekkel szemben.
He seemed callous to the criticism by the end of the campaign.
Learner examples
Don’t become callous to suffering.
Ne válj érzéketlenné a szenvedéssel szemben.
Common mistake:
Often followed by to (not for): callous to violence/suffering.
Meaning
desensitized; no longer affected
Collocations
callous to violence
|callous to suffering
|callous to criticism
|grow callous to
|become callous to
|callous to pain
|callous to tragedy
|callous to insults
Synonyms
desensitized (More neutral/psychological; stresses reduced emotional response through exposure.)
|
numb (Emphasizes lack of feeling, sometimes temporary or shock-related.)
|
hardened (Suggests toughening over time through difficult experiences.)
Antonyms
sensitive (Easily affected or emotionally responsive.)
|
responsive (Reacting actively and appropriately to what happens.)
Themes
emotions
|society
|media
Definition
not affected anymore because you have seen it a lot
No longer sensitive or responsive to something, especially because of repeated experience or exposure.
B2
3
kérges
B2
Usage pattern:
callous [hands/feet/skin]
Guitarists often develop callous fingertips.
A gitárosoknak gyakran kérges lesz az ujjbegyük.
His hands were callous from years of construction work.
A keze kérges volt az éveken át végzett építőipari munkától.
Running in tight shoes left her heels callous and sore.
Learner examples
My feet are callous from walking a lot.
A lábam kérges a sok gyaloglástól.
Common mistake:
In American English, callused (or calloused) is often used for this meaning; callous is still correct.
Meaning
having thick, hard skin
Collocations
callous hands
|callous feet
|callous skin
|callous fingertips
|callous heels
|callous palms
|badly calloused
|heavily calloused
Synonyms
callused (Very common alternative adjective for skin hardened by friction.)
|
hardened (More general; can describe skin or other things.)
|
rough (Less specific; may not imply thickened skin.)
Antonyms
soft (Not hardened; smooth and pliable.)
|
tender (Easily hurt or sore; not toughened.)
|
smooth (Even surface without rough, thickened patches.)
Themes
health
|body
|sports
Definition
having hard, thick skin from rubbing
Having an area of skin that has become thick and hard, usually from pressure or rubbing.
NOUN
C1
4
Usage pattern:
a callous (on [body part])
He had a painful callous on his big toe.
Fájdalmas bőrkeményedés volt a nagylábujján.
A callous formed where the sandal strap rubbed her foot.
Bőrkeményedés alakult ki ott, ahol a szandál pántja dörzsölte a lábát.
The podiatrist shaved down the callous to relieve the pressure.
Learner examples
I have a callous on my hand.
Bőrkeményedés van a kezemen.
Common mistake:
Callus is a more common spelling for the noun; callous is also used, especially in older or less technical writing.
Meaning
patch of hardened skin
Collocations
a callous on the foot
|a callous on the hand
|remove a callous
|develop a callous
|painful callous
|thick callous
|hard callous
Synonyms
callus (More standard and frequent noun spelling for this meaning.)
Antonyms
blister (A fluid-filled sore caused by rubbing, not thickened skin.)
Themes
health
|body
Definition
a hard, thick patch of skin
A thickened, hardened area of skin, usually caused by repeated pressure or friction.
Grammar
Dictionary form
callous
IPA
GB/kˈæləs/
US/kˈæləs/
Syllables & stress
cal - lous (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (cal)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: callous
Noun
- Base: callous
- Plural: calli, callous, callouses
Word family
Forms
calli
noun
callouses
noun
Core family
callously
adverb C1
callousness
noun
Related words
callus
noun
Expressions
callous disregard for
1/kˈæləs dˌɪsɹɪɡˈɑɹd fɚ/
fixed phrase
formal
complete lack of care
not caring at all about something important
Examples
- The judge cited the driver’s callous disregard for public safety.
- Residents accused the company of callous disregard for the local environment.
- His callous disregard for the rules put the whole team at risk.
Learner examples
- They showed callous disregard for safety.
callous indifference to
1/kˈæləs ɪndˈɪfɹəns tə/
fixed phrase
formal
cold lack of concern
a cold feeling of not caring
Examples
- The article condemned the government’s callous indifference to homelessness.
- Her callous indifference to his worries ended the relationship.
- People were shocked by the company’s callous indifference to the complaints.
Learner examples
- Callous indifference to others is harmful.
grow callous to
1/ɡɹˈoʊ kˈæləs tə/
fixed phrase
become less emotionally affected
to stop feeling strongly about something over time
Examples
- It’s easy to grow callous to bad news when you hear it every day.
- Some workers grow callous to the suffering they see.
- He didn’t want to grow callous to his own mistakes.
Learner examples
- She grew callous to insults.