aloof
Americanadverb
adjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of aloof
Explanation
Someone who's aloof isn't warm and friendly, instead being distant and reserved. That emotionally cold and detached fellow who keeps to himself, drinking espresso and reading French philosophy, would best be described as aloof. In Middle English, aloof was originally a nautical term; the loof (now spelled luff) is the windward side of a ship. Smart sailors wanting to avoid a hazard on the leeward side would give the order, "A loof!" From this command we get the idea of steering clear of something (or someone). In modern usage the word has taken on a negative connotation: an aloof person is often considered cold or snobby.
Vocabulary lists containing aloof
100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for High School Students, List 2
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Animal Farm
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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.
Simba Safari’s three adult females, originally from another zoo, were more aloof, though one came close for a while.
From Slate • May 27, 2026
Mostly, however, Boston is steaming at principal owner John Henry, a former civic hero who’s become regarded as an aloof steward distracted by investments like Liverpool in the English Premier League.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 27, 2026
“People shouldn’t care to hear my opinion. I didn’t have a phone for 18 months… I hate to be the artist that’s that aloof, but I’m so disconnected from what’s happening.”
From Salon • Feb. 4, 2026
“It’s a collective thing. I can’t taper that for individuals, but I can certainly be conscious of pacing and understanding. I don’t think I’m aloof enough to not have that in my mind.”
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 9, 2025
But I was determined to remain aloof until I knew his feelings for me.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
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.
