apathetic

[ ap-uh-thet-ik ]
See synonyms for apathetic on Thesaurus.com
adjective
  1. having or showing little or no emotion: apathetic behavior.

  2. not interested or concerned; indifferent or unresponsive: an apathetic audience.

Origin of apathetic

1
First recorded in 1735–45; apath(y) + (path)etic
  • Also ap·a·thet·i·cal .

Other words for apathetic

Opposites for apathetic

Other words from apathetic

  • ap·a·thet·i·cal·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use apathetic in a sentence

  • Chopin began generally to prelude apathetically and only gradually grew warm, but then his playing was really grand.

  • The blond Marquis listened apathetically, with his feminine blue eyes turned down and his sceptical smile.

    The conquest of Rome | Matilde Serao
  • Apathetically the students have exercised sixty minutes, considering this minimum quite sufficient.

  • She thanked him again, apathetically, as if she had not the heart to feel anything keenly, but was grateful to him as could be.

    The Witness | Grace Livingston Hill Lutz
  • "No one, but I dare say it will be known presently," said Annette apathetically.

    Notwithstanding | Mary Cholmondeley

British Dictionary definitions for apathetic

apathetic

/ (ˌæpəˈθɛtɪk) /


adjective
  1. having or showing little or no emotion; indifferent

Origin of apathetic

1
C18: from apathy + pathetic

Derived forms of apathetic

  • apathetically, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012