insensibility
/ɪnˌsɛnsɪˈbɪlɪti
/noun
1 [mass noun] Unconsciousness: I flogged him into insensibility...
- The only option is to drug her into insensibility and unconsciousness.
- It is an effective process which induces immediate unconsciousness and insensibility or an induction to a period of unconsciousness without distress.
- In a proportion of cases it results from massive injuries to the chest and vital organs, although insensibility and death will normally follow within a matter of seconds once the fox is caught.
1.1Inability to be moved emotionally: Lady Grafton’s insensibility bordered on cruelty...
- Thank the Gods for a woman like her - with the addled sanity of palace life, and my own befuddling emotions, she is sense in the face of total insensibility.
- Her spokeswoman said: ‘Ms Andrews firmly believes that while the entire world is in mourning, it would be an expression of insensibility on her part to participate in a festive act.’
- His usual sullen insensibility is disrupted by unpredictable explosions of rage.
2Lack of awareness or concern; indifference: your insensibility to the extreme importance of the mission we are on...
- The ongoing investigation by police and other related agencies is unveiling, as expected, shocking facts about our insensibility to safety measures at the mass-transit system used by millions of commuters every day.
- Who can say it has not its energies of reason and of will in some unknown sphere, quite consistently with the reality of its insensibility to the external world?
- In our behaviour, there is an increased insensibility and a frightening decrease of civility, decency and sense of justice.
Origin
Late Middle English: partly from Old French insensibilite or late Latin insensibilitas (from in- 'not' + Latin sensibilis 'sensible', from sensus 'sense'), partly from in-1 'without' + sensibility.