[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/insensitive/)

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# insensitive

adjective (insensitive, more insensitive); noun «insensitivity»

«insensitive» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Not noticing or caring about other people's feelings; saying or doing hurtful things. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insensitive/#m1)
2. Not able to feel or react to something: insensitive to pain, insensitive to light. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insensitive/#m2)

### In the lessons

In PSHE lessons, an insensitive comment (about someone's looks, family or loss) hurts even if it wasn't meant to. In science, a measuring device or body part may be insensitive to small changes. Phrases: an insensitive remark, insensitive to, culturally insensitive.

### Examples

- Laughing at her haircut was insensitive. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insensitive/#x1)
- It was insensitive to talk about the party in front of the boy who wasn't invited. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insensitive/#x2)
- Some fish are insensitive to cold water. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insensitive/#x3)
- The old scales were insensitive to tiny weights. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insensitive/#x4)
- I'm sorry; that was an insensitive thing to say. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insensitive/#x5)
- Being insensitive to pain can be dangerous, because pain warns us. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insensitive/#x6)

### Note

Opposite: «sensitive». Usually followed by «to». Being insensitive is often by accident; saying sorry and listening helps.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «insensitive» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/insensitive/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«insensitive» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/insensitive.html) on Mova free.