disinterested

[ dis-in-tuh-res-tid, -tri-stid ]

adjective

1. unbiased by personal interest or advantage; not influenced by selfish motives:

   a disinterested decision by the referee.

   Synonyms: dispassionate, unprejudiced, neutral, impartial

   Antonyms: biased, partial

2. not interested; indifferent.

disinterested

/ -tərɪs-; dɪsˈɪntrɪstɪd /

adjective

1. free from bias or partiality; objective
2. not interested

Usage

Many people consider that the use of disinterested to mean not interested is incorrect and that uninterested should be used

Confusables Note

Disinterested and uninterested share a confused and confusing history. Disinterested was originally used to mean “not interested, indifferent”; uninterested in its earliest use meant “impartial.” By various developmental twists, disinterested is now used in both senses. Uninterested is used mainly in the sense “not interested, indifferent.” It is occasionally used to mean “not having a personal or property interest.” Many object to the use of disinterested to mean “not interested, indifferent.” They insist that disinterested can mean only “impartial”: A disinterested observer is the best judge of behavior. However, both senses are well established in all varieties of English, and the sense intended is almost always clear from the context.

Derived Forms

• disˈinterestedly, adverb
• disˈinterestedness, noun

Other Words From

• dis·inter·ested·ly adverb
• dis·inter·ested·ness noun
• nondis·inter·est·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of disinterested¹

First recorded in 1605–15; dis- ¹ + interested

Synonym Study

See fair ¹.

Example Sentences

It’s nothing at all like a cage full of disinterested wolf pups.

From Science News For Students

Mistakes include marketing to a new, disinterested demographic, while neglecting the brand’s core audience, overpricing the sandwich itself, some ad firm dram, and sweeping disinterest or disdain from franchisees.

From Eater

The dog pen is all licks, wiggles and eye contact, Salomons says, nothing at all like a cage full of disinterested wolf pups.

From Science News

For decades, he didn’t look forward to it because he was disinterested in honoring his dad.

From Washington Post

When I stood in roughly the same spot as these two figures, I was thinking about some of the distinctly venal purposes to which we put our supposedly disinterested love of natural beauty.

From Washington Post

If our school system fails to teach how our country works, should we be surprised so many are disinterested?

From The Daily Beast

Edge, one of the most inventive guitarists in rock history, comes off as disinterested.

From The Daily Beast

Add to that a disinterested public that fails to turn out on Election Day, and citizens are getting the government they deserve.

From The Daily Beast

Neither he nor the Sanford Police Department were disinterested observers.

From The Daily Beast

But if one person's channel surfing and the other's disinterested, go right ahead and browse.

From The Daily Beast

Never believe, however disinterested the love of a kept woman may be, that it will cost one nothing.

From Project Gutenberg

The disinterested historians state ingenuously that Joanna was not guilty of this crime, although the others accuse her of it.

From Project Gutenberg

"Then, for once, I've found a disinterested female in a coaxing mood," replied this modern Diogenes.

From Project Gutenberg

Here they drew off, and their apparently disinterested hearer turned the page of his paper.

From Project Gutenberg

The Government cannot fail to reward with a bit of red ribbon so disinterested, so philanthropic a devotion.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• aloof
• casual
• dispassionate
• impartial
• indifferent
• neutral
• unbiased
• unselfish