Definition

Lacking compassion or warmth; emotionally cold and unfeeling.

Example

Despite the sad story, he remained stonyhearted and did not show any emotion.

Conversation

Did you hear about that new manager at work?

Yeah, I heard he's really stonyhearted and tough on everyone.

That's such a shame; I was hoping for someone more understanding.

Exactly! It makes the workplace feel so much colder.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Stonyhearted is formed from "stony" (from Old English "stanig", meaning resembling stone) and "hearted" (from "heart", meaning the organ of emotion or feeling, with the suffix "-ed" indicating a characteristic). The word describes someone who is emotionally cold or unfeeling, as if their heart is made of stone.

Memory Tip

Think of someone whose heart is 'like stone' ('stony') — this helps you remember that 'stonyhearted' means emotionally unfeeling.

Visually Confused Words