apathetic

Also ap·a·thet·i·cal

[ap-uh-thet-ik]

adjective

1. having or showing little or no emotion.

   apathetic behavior.

   Synonyms: cool, impassive, unfeeling
   Antonyms: emotional

2. not interested or concerned; indifferent or unresponsive.

   an apathetic audience.

   Synonyms: unconcerned, uninterested
   Antonyms: concerned

apathetic

/ ˌæpəˈθɛtɪk /

adjective

1. having or showing little or no emotion; indifferent

Other Word Forms

• apathetically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of apathetic¹

First recorded in 1735–45; apath(y) + (path)etic

Word History and Origins

Origin of apathetic¹

C18: from _apathy + _pathetic

Example Sentences

Chatbots won’t only know what you stream and shop for, they’ll figure out if you are liberal or conservative, progressive or hard right, moderate or apathetic—valuable for campaigns doling out advertising dollars.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The president’s remarks are a departure from what has largely been an apathetic response from him about reopening the government.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Can a detailed examination of a band known for their “cool detachment,” “workmanlike” approach and “apathetic demeanor” hold a reader’s interest through this much scrutiny?

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The cherry on top is their true apathetic evil.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But if they reach 30 to 40 percent, their dogmatic persistence may successfully overcome the majority, many of whom are timid or apathetic, and set the political tone for a society.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• callous 
• indifferent 
• laid-back 
• passive 
• stoic 
• uninterested 

When To Use

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!