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apolitical

American  
[ey-puh-lit-i-kuhl] / ˌeɪ pəˈlɪt ɪ kəl /

adjective

  1. not political; of no political significance.

    an apolitical organization.

  2. not involved or interested in politics.


apolitical British  
/ ˌeɪpəˈlɪtɪkəl /

adjective

  1. politically neutral; without political attitudes, content, or bias

"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

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of apolitical

First recorded in 1950–55; a- 6 + political

Explanation

If you don't care who's president, don't belong to a party, and don't care about political issues, you're apolitical: uninterested in politics. Lots of people are very interested in politics. People who vote, follow current events, and register with political parties are being political. On the other hand, some people don't care about such things: they are apolitical. Putting the a in front of political makes it mean "not political." If you're apolitical, you're either politically neutral or don't care about politics at all. Since politics can be very frustrating, it's natural that some people end up being apolitical.

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Vocabulary lists containing apolitical

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.

See Examples For:

Macklemore wrote that Sheeran’s “typical apolitical stance was being challenged” amid the public scrutiny and “he couldn’t get past his public facing, ‘I don’t take sides.’

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 14, 2026

The event is generally apolitical with no speeches.

From Barron's Sep. 11, 2026

Both hosts said they were raised in apolitical families.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 2, 2026

Bauer, an assistant journalism and creative media professor at the University of Alabama, said it’s not surprising to him that many of Owens’s current listeners identify as apolitical.

From Salon Aug. 26, 2026

He seems to have been entirely apolitical, and once commented: For my part, I am for the King in possession.

From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin

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