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View synonyms for indifferent

indifferent

[ in-dif-er-uhnt, -dif-ruhnt ]

adjective

  1. without interest or concern; not caring; apathetic:

    his indifferent attitude toward the suffering of others.

  2. having no bias, prejudice, or preference; impartial; disinterested.
  3. neither good nor bad in character or quality; average; routine:

    an indifferent specimen.

  4. not particularly good, important, etc.; unremarkable; unnotable:

    an indifferent success; an indifferent performance.

    Synonyms: commonplace, uninspired, undistinguished, mediocre

  5. of only moderate amount, extent, etc.
  6. not making a difference, or mattering, one way or the other.
  7. immaterial or unimportant.
  8. not essential or obligatory, as an observance.
  9. making no difference or distinction, as between persons or things:

    indifferent justice.

  10. neutral in chemical, electric, or magnetic quality.
  11. Biology. not differentiated or specialized, as cells or tissues.


noun

  1. an ethically or morally indifferent act.
  2. a person who is indifferent, especially in matters of religion or politics.

adverb

  1. Archaic. indifferently:

    I am indifferent well.

indifferent

/ -fərənt; ɪnˈdɪfrənt /

adjective

  1. often foll by to showing no care or concern; uninterested

    he was indifferent to my pleas

  2. unimportant; immaterial
    1. of only average or moderate size, extent, quality, etc
    2. not at all good; poor
  3. showing or having no preferences; impartial
  4. biology
    1. (of cells or tissues) not differentiated or specialized
    2. (of a species) not found in any particular community


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Derived Forms

  • inˈdifferently, adverb

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Other Words From

  • in·differ·ent·ly adverb
  • quasi-in·differ·ent adjective
  • quasi-in·differ·ent·ly adverb
  • super·in·differ·ent adjective
  • super·in·differ·ent·ly adverb

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Word History and Origins

Origin of indifferent1

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English (adjective), from Latin indifferent-, stem of indifferēns; equivalent to in- 3 + different

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Word History and Origins

Origin of indifferent1

C14: from Latin indifferēns making no distinction

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Example Sentences

Americans who are indifferent to the risk posed by the virus would be unlikely to embrace such a reintroduction.

If he’s that indifferent to that perilous dynamic right after Justice Ginsburg’s disastrous choice to not retire, presidential arm-twisting probably won’t do much good.

Others may be disillusioned, frustrated and even afraid, but nobody should feel indifferent.

After years of being mostly indifferent to podcasts, the world’s tech platforms — as well as the largest terrestrial radio broadcasters — have grown interested in them as they battle on every front of the digital ad market.

From Digiday

I, on the other hand, am an indifferent cook whose dinner parties have become legendary for how awful they were.

However, as she feared, The Bell Jar appeared to indifferent notices and the launch—which Ted attended—was rather low-key.

The immigrants can stay, because they are victims of indifferent authorities just like we are.

Because we have so little skin in the game, it seems that the public is indifferent.

Communist-era clerks were famously rude and indifferent, because they had no motive to make people happy.

Yet, according to the complaint, Berger was “deliberately indifferent” to these allegations against Gibney.

The reformers of the earlier period were not indifferent to the need for centralized organization in the banking system.

She stabbed him, noting the effect upon him with a detached interest that seemed indifferent to his pain.

Thus arrayed I fixed myself on the porch, to be smoking my pipe in a careless, indifferent way when she came.

Indifferent health, for he was delicate too, was one of the bonds between us.

I have elsewhere spoken of the indifferent figure made by most Englishmen at public speaking.

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indifferencyindifferentism