disinterest
Americannoun
-
lack of interest; indifference.
-
the absence of bias or self-interest; impartiality.
verb (used with object)
noun
-
freedom from bias or involvement
-
lack of interest; indifference
verb
Etymology
Origin of disinterest
Explanation
Disinterest is a lack of curiosity or attachment, like your complete disinterest in your younger sister's scene-by-scene recap of the plot of her favorite cartoon. One kind of disinterest is simply a lack of enthusiasm, like your disinterest in sports or local politics: you just don't care. Another kind of disinterest is more of a neutrality or impartiality. A mediator, judge, or negotiator needs this type of disinterest in order to hear two opposing viewpoints without prejudice. Disinterest comes from the prefix dis-, "lack of," and interest, from the Latin interresse, "to concern, make a difference, or be of importance."
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.
From the comedians’ own unravelings, failure to evolve to the audiences’ bad-faith misreadings, or sheer disinterest, to say there’s a disconnect between the two groups is to put it lightly.
From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026
But some research suggest that men's reluctance may stem less from disinterest and more from uncertainty about how to navigate dating today.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
Senate Majority Leader John Thune isn’t concealing his disinterest in what the House is offering, saying that he wants to focus on government funding instead.
From Slate ● Jul. 25, 2026
Duchamp’s seeming disinterest often revealed itself to be something far more venomous, as when he fantasized about a nihilistic readymade: “Use a Rembrandt as an ironing board.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
He eyed the passengers moving down the aisle with mild disinterest, but only to make sure they didn’t hit his shoulder with their purses and carry-ons as they passed.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
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.
