Looking up...
insensitivity
/ɪnˌsɛn.sɪˈtɪv.ə.ti/
lack of sensitivity
His insensitivity toward the suffering of others shocked everyone at the meeting.
His inability to recognize or care about the pain of others was surprising.
formal
lack of ability to respond to or be affected by feelings or emotions, especially those of others
The doctor's insensitivity to the patient's fear made the diagnosis process even more distressing.
The doctor's failure to acknowledge the patient's emotional state worsened the experience.
Her insensitivity in social situations often led to misunderstandings.
Her inability to pick up on social cues caused frequent miscommunications.
Often implies a lack of empathy or awareness, not just physical unresponsiveness.
Medicine
Medical
lack of sensitivity to physical stimuli or pain
The patient's insensitivity to heat was a symptom of a rare neurological condition.
The patient's inability to feel heat indicated a problem with nerve function.
In medical contexts, this refers to a loss of normal sensory response.
Collocations
emotional insensitivitylack of emotional awarenesscultural insensitivitylack of awareness of cultural differences
Pro Tip
Avoiding Misuse
Do not confuse 'insensitivity' with 'insensitivity to pain' (a medical term) unless the context is clearly physical. In social contexts, it almost always refers to emotional or social unawareness.
Gold Rule
Context Matters
Use 'insensitivity' when describing a lack of emotional or social awareness, not physical unresponsiveness unless specified.
Word Origin
From Latin *insensibilitas*, from *insensibilis* ('insensitive'), from *in-* ('not') + *sensibilis* ('sensitive'), from *sensus* ('feeling').
Usage Notes
Often used critically to describe behavior that ignores or dismisses others' emotions or suffering. Can be applied to both emotional and physical contexts.
Word Breakdown
in-
not
prefixsensitivity
ability to feel or respond to stimuli
rootEnglish Dictionary