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.

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apolitical British  

/ ˌeɪpəˈlɪtɪkəl /

adjective

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

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Other Word Forms

• apolitically adverb

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.

Example Sentences

“Without that review and without apolitical, objective, honest brokers involved in the process, there is a much greater risk for intentional manipulation or inadvertent interference,” Keller said.

From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026

He replied that he was "interested in doing things that are apolitical" and which could help people find connection in our "strangely algorithmic and divided world".

From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026

Fiber arts like knitting, crocheting, and embroidery have never been completely apolitical.

From Slate • Jan. 29, 2026

Yet he acquired a reputation as a dandy, a clever humorist and an intellectual showman, distinctly apolitical and seemingly a man of no convictions.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 30, 2025

His mother had always been notably apolitical, voting only for candidates who seemed to have been kind to their mothers.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole