What does coldheartedly mean?
Coldheartedly is an adverb meaning without sympathy, compassion, or concern for the feelings and welfare of other people. It is used to describe conduct that appears cruel, indifferent, or unusually lacking in mercy, as in “she coldheartedly refused to help.” The word is more emotionally charged than coldly, which can indicate emotional reserve without necessarily implying cruelty, and more specifically judgment-based than callously, though the two are frequently similar in use. It commonly modifies verbs of harmful or unsympathetic action, including dismiss, ignore, reject, abandon, and exploit. Although coldhearted can occasionally describe a person's general manner, it most often characterizes a particular action. In journalism, literature, and everyday criticism, coldheartedly conveys the moral force of an accusation: it suggests not simply unfortunate consequences, but a deliberate indifference to how those consequences affect other people. The related adjective is coldhearted, and the noun is coldheartedness.
adverbIn a coldhearted manner, without sympathy, compassion, or concern for others.
- Without sympathy, compassion, or concern for others.
"The company coldheartedly dismissed the workers who had spent decades serving it."
"The judge accused the landlord of coldheartedly evicting vulnerable tenants."
"The novel portrays a politician who coldheartedly serves personal interests at the expense of the public."
Coldheartedness turns private indifference into public conduct: the cruel part is not merely feeling little, but acting as if other people do not matter.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of coldheartedly
Coldheartedly is formed in English by adding the adverbial suffix -ly to the adjective coldhearted. The underlying compound combines cold and heart, both of which continue Old English words: cald and heorte. Its sense has long centered on acting without pity or tenderness, and modern usage continues to emphasize the apparent absence of compassion in a person's conduct.
Related word forms
How coldheartedly is actually used
Strongly disapproving and generally used to characterize deliberate actions or decisions that appear to disregard suffering or other people's interests.
Easily confused with coldheartedly
Coldly means without warmth or enthusiasm and need not imply cruelty, whereas coldheartedly more specifically suggests a lack of compassion.
Cold-blooded often describes a cruel or dispassionate person or act, while coldheartedly focuses on the manner in which an action is performed.