Indifferent Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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indifferent

[ɪnˈdɪf(ə)rənt ]

Definitions

^{Context #1 | Adjective}

feeling

having no particular interest or sympathy; unconcerned.

Synonyms

apathetic, detached, disinterested, unconcerned, uninterested.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
indifferent	Used when someone has no particular interest or sympathy towards something. She was indifferent to the results of the election He felt indifferent about their proposal
unconcerned	Used when someone is not worried or disturbed by something that might cause concern. He seemed unconcerned by the upcoming exam She was unconcerned about the rumors spreading around
apathetic	Suggests a lack of interest or enthusiasm, often implying an emotional numbness. He was apathetic toward his studies, barely putting in any effort The employees seemed apathetic about the company’s new policies
detached	Describes a situation where someone maintains an emotional distance or neutrality, often seeming disconnected. Her detached manner made it hard to gauge her true feelings He remained detached from the ongoing argument
uninterested	Indicates a straightforward lack of interest or curiosity in something. He was uninterested in the subject of the lecture She felt uninterested in the proposed activities
disinterested	Refers to an unbiased, impartial attitude, often used in contexts requiring neutrality. A judge must always be disinterested She gave a disinterested opinion on the matter, having no personal stake

Examples of usage

she was indifferent to him
an indifferent shrug

^{Context #2 | Adjective}

quality

neither good nor bad; mediocre.

Synonyms

average, mediocre, moderate, ordinary, unremarkable.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
indifferent	When someone or something shows a lack of interest, emotion or concern. Often negative. He was indifferent to the outcome of the game. She looked at the painting with an indifferent expression.
mediocre	When something is of only moderate quality, not very good. Often negative. The restaurant had mediocre food. Her performance was mediocre at best.
average	When something is typical, neither good nor bad, just normal. The movie was just average, nothing special. He is an average student with passing grades.
ordinary	When something is normal or common, not special in any way. It was just an ordinary day. He wore ordinary clothes.
unremarkable	When something is not special or noteworthy. Often negative. The book was unremarkable and easy to forget. His career was rather unremarkable.
moderate	When something is within reasonable limits; not extreme. Neutral tone. She has a moderate amount of experience in the field. He follows a moderate diet.

Examples of usage

the dessert was indifferent
an indifferent performance

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Origin of 'indifferent'

The word 'indifferent' originated from the Latin word 'indifferens', which is a combination of the prefix 'in-' meaning 'not' and 'differens' meaning 'differing'. Over time, the word evolved to its current usage in English, reflecting a lack of interest, sympathy, or quality.

Word Frequency Rank

At #6,529 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.

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