apathetic
Americanadjective
-
having or showing little or no emotion.
apathetic behavior.
- Antonyms:
- emotional
-
not interested or concerned; indifferent or unresponsive.
an apathetic audience.
- Synonyms:
- unconcerned, uninterested
- Antonyms:
- concerned
adjective
Usage
What does apathetic mean? Apathetic means uncaring. It’s an adjective form of apathy—the state of not caring. It can also mean the absence or suppression of emotion or passion. Apathetic is especially used to describe people with a lack of interest or concern about things, especially those that others find important or exciting. Apathetic often means about the same thing as indifferent, but it’s more often used in the context of someone’s lack of action when action is needed. The word apathetic is typically used in a negative way to criticize someone as being irresponsible or insensitive. When someone is accused of being apathetic, it usually means the person making the accusation thinks the apathetic person should care more—or at all. Example: Your generation is astoundingly apathetic—it’s like none of you care about any of the big problems in the world!
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of apathetic
First recorded in 1735–45; apath(y) + (path)etic
Explanation
Apathetic is an adjective that describes the feeling of being bored with what’s going on around you. If you don’t care one way or another, you’re apathetic. The Greek word pathos describes a type of emotional suffering that afflicts people who are super sensitive to their environment. Pathos is a root word of apathetic, but the prefix a- turns it into the opposite: emotional boredom, insensitivity, and a lack of enthusiasm. Maybe you feel apathetic because nothing around you stirs your interest, or maybe it’s because you need some coffee.
Vocabulary lists containing apathetic
300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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In the Mood? 100 Words to Describe Emotions
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He also visits a religious commune and witnesses actual generosity only to remain apathetic about repentance or emotional growth.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2026
When people discover a choice was never real, they become apathetic about the ones that are.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026
Investors have become “resilient and apathetic at the same time,” he said.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 29, 2026
CEOs, in turn, pursue strategies against apathetic indexers or fickle traders who chase hot stocks and flee at the first hint of trouble.
From Barron's ● Jan. 2, 2026
The only sounds were hushed ones, the bloated gurgle of the stream, the respirating hum of the tall grass and shrubs behind him, the apathetic moaning of the dumb, translucent waves.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
