English UsageGrammar guide

Insensitive To: Standard Pattern

Insensitive To: Standard Pattern records the directly documented construction and keeps guidance bounded to the evidenced complement pattern rather than inventing a broader prohibition.

Quick answer

Use “insensitive to” when someone fails to respond appropriately to feelings, complaints, effects, pain, or another stimulus.

Key details

Confusion Familyusage-construction
Rule Familyadjective complement
Termsinsensitive to

Further guidance

Construction

Use “insensitive to” when someone fails to respond appropriately to feelings, complaints, effects, pain, or another stimulus.

Style Boundary

The construction covers both social lack of sensitivity and lack of physical or material response; context determines the sense.

Sources and evidence

Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.

  1. INSENSITIVE | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press & Assessment · Cambridge dictionary evidence for insensitive to as a documented construction.

Related guides

English Usage

Absent From: Standard Pattern

Absent From: Standard Pattern records a directly documented English construction and keeps guidance bounded to the evidenced pattern rather than inventing a broader prohibition.

English Usage

Accountable For: Standard Pattern

Accountable For: Standard Pattern records the directly documented Cambridge construction and keeps guidance bounded to the evidenced complement pattern rather than inventing a broader prohibition.

English Usage

Acquainted With: Standard Pattern

Acquainted With: Standard Pattern records a directly documented English construction and keeps guidance bounded to the evidenced pattern rather than inventing a broader prohibition.

English Usage

Addicted To: Standard Pattern

Addicted To: Standard Pattern records a directly documented English construction and keeps guidance bounded to the evidenced pattern rather than inventing a broader prohibition.

English Usage

Adept At: Standard Pattern

Adept At: Standard Pattern records a directly documented English construction and keeps guidance bounded to the evidenced pattern rather than inventing a broader prohibition.

English Usage

Adjacent To: Standard Pattern

Adjacent To: Standard Pattern records the directly documented construction and keeps guidance bounded to the evidenced complement pattern rather than inventing a broader prohibition.

Explore the topic