What's the difference between callous and obdurate?

Callous


Definition:

  • (a.) Hardened; indurated.
  • (a.) Hardened in mind; insensible; unfeeling; unsusceptible.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) The Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's largest organised political movement, added its voice to the chorus of discontent, accusing Scaf of contradicting 'all human, religious and patriotic values' with their callousness and warning that the revolution that overthrew former president Hosni Mubarak earlier this year was able to rise again.
  • (2) In its proposals the MoJ is displaying a callous disregard for the rights of its citizens, as client choice and quality of legal service have been sacrificed on the altar of price competition.
  • (3) By analogy with the comparable glands of the yellow-bellied toad and the grass frog, these are called the toxic, lumpy, mucous, callous, and small glands.
  • (4) Inequality, precarity and social division are the causes of our new callousness, helped by the rightwing press, but the real point is that Labour has only two choices in response: either continue to cringe before the prejudices of the public or try to change their minds by arguing for a distinct, simple and compelling alternative.
  • (5) As the danger of racism depends not only on its callousness but on its power and influence, this coalition at the heart of government suggests a sharp rise in levels of racism and a dramatic decline in democracy.
  • (6) What to say to the children who went to a pop concert and left to find their waiting parents blown apart by the hate and callous indifference in the foyer?
  • (7) Angry demonstrators have noted that Putin's tears are in stark contrast to his usually inscrutable, and even callous-seeming, behaviour on other big public occasions.
  • (8) And now the file on UTA 772 - a chilling story of international intrigue and callous terror - is to be closed.
  • (9) Photograph: Shenyang government Nicholas Bequelin, Amnesty International ’s East Asia director, described the briefing as “a crude, cruel and callous political show” designed to mask Beijing’s responsibility for the death of Liu, who was diagnosed with late-stage cancer in May while serving an 11-year sentence for his role in a pro-democracy manifesto.
  • (10) What has happened, of course, is something entirely different – and the callously careless attitude of western governments to this has given the impression of western complicity to many (who are already steeped in a culture of conspiracy theories) in Iraq and the Middle East.
  • (11) Previously and independently documented patterns of pathological lying, lack of remorse or guilt, callousness or lack of empathy, and failure to accept responsibility for their own behavior were significantly associated with the offenders not admitting responsibility for their crimes.
  • (12) ( The figure includes 167 victims of a plane crash, caused indirectly by Walt's callousness .)
  • (13) But remember: record companies can be callous and nefarious beasts."
  • (14) We are now knee-deep in a punitive, callous system.
  • (15) It's slightly callous, but the stoppages suit Chelsea; the game has become a tad bitty in the last few minutes.
  • (16) "They will not further any aim or objective by their vile and callous deeds.
  • (17) Jerry Petherick, a G4S executive, said the prisoners behind the trouble displayed a callous disregard for the safety of other inmates and staff.
  • (18) As a person with a disability myself –in fact, a congenital limb reduction like Pistorius – I fear the links that may be made between disability and temperament.” As it emerged, those links would be made not by callous commentators but by Pistorius’ own defence team.
  • (19) America’s elected leaders offer prayers for gun victims and then, callously and without fear of consequence, reject the most basic restrictions on weapons of mass killing, as they did on Thursday.
  • (20) ureters) becoming callous and adhesive, safe preoperative diagnosis is desirable.

Obdurate


Definition:

  • (a.) Hardened in feelings, esp. against moral or mollifying influences; unyielding; hard-hearted; stubbornly wicked.
  • (a.) Hard; harsh; rugged; rough; intractable.
  • (v. t.) To harden.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) The system is not an obdurate one-man rule, but a balancing of power groups, including the military, government and internal security, all have different interests and policies.
  • (2) Both the Coalition and Labor are obdurately stuck with barbaric offshore detention policies, as though sensible, humane and politically viable alternatives are beyond them.
  • (3) For their part, the Israeli left accused Peres of acting as a figleaf for an obdurate Likud administration.
  • (4) Report on the temporary substitution of pharynx and upper oesophagus with synthetic skin substitute in case of incurable obdurating neck carcinoma.
  • (5) His team-mates were obdurate opponents in every respect.
  • (6) The fact that it was Johnson rather than Crow who had been obdurate was highlighted by the fact that TfL had all along planned to retain ticket-selling facilities at several busy stations, but, prompted by Johnson, had publicly suggested that they would all be closed.
  • (7) For the first time there were obvious signs of tension and, suddenly, this tough, obdurate West Bromwich side showed an attacking intent that simply had not been there earlier in the match.
  • (8) In the face of obdurate unreason, the president of hyper-reasonableness was forced to surrender.
  • (9) Underpinning the witty remarks and the textbook flippancy ("call me early, Goering dear, for I'm to be Queen of the May" was apparently Nancy's riposte to news of Diana and Unity's German adventures) though, was an absolute and obdurate self-belief; a self-possessed seriousness only partly disguised by sisterly teasing.
  • (10) Max from Earlsfield muses: "Admittedly terrible from Fab, a shame after 47 minutes of obdurate defence.
  • (11) This was a slog, a result ground out against ruggedly obdurate opposition , but Chelsea may end up gaining more satisfaction from prevailing in those awkward circumstances than from some of the more comfortable strolls they have enjoyed over a nine-match winning streak.
  • (12) Read more It was the third minute of stoppage time, and the cruellest of circumstances for this tough, obdurate Burnley side, when Arsenal’s possession finally paid off and the seemingly endless 20th-anniversary commemorations for Arsène Wenger were given a shot of euphoria that had not seemed like coming.
  • (13) Ireland were obdurate opponents but that does not fully explain the lack of quality that held back England once Frank Lampard had scored the 29th goal of his international career, 10 minutes after Shane Long's expertly taken header had given Giovanni Trapattoni's side an early lead.
  • (14) Russia's determination to defend wider spheres of traditional influence in the non-aligned and developing world can be seen in its obdurate refusal to penalise Syria, in the face of almost universal outrage over the crackdown there; and in its de facto defence of Iran's nuclear programme.
  • (15) It had needed some obdurate defending to keep the score down before Alves exchanged passes with the substitute Neymar and cut in from the right to slip his shot through Hart's legs.
  • (16) Republicans have been both obdurate and obtuse in Congress, where approval ratings have rarely scraped 20%.
  • (17) He is assertive (he insists on his photographer and dictates the terms of the interview), obdurate and, at times, wilfully contrary.
  • (18) We had an obdurate Labor party, a feckless Senate and a very difficult media culture,” Abbott said.
  • (19) In the years since those facts first became known, the story of the Holocaust has been told and retold, yet it still remains obdurately difficult to tell.
  • (20) Giles also remained obdurate and continued to refuse to resign even though he had only four supporters as against the conspirators’ nine.