Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

disinterest

American  
[dis-in-ter-ist, -trist] / dɪsˈɪn tər ɪst, -trɪst /

noun

  1. lack of interest; indifference.

  2. the absence of bias or self-interest; impartiality.

verb (used with object)

  1. to divest of interest or concern.

disinterest British  
/ dɪsˈɪntrɪst, -tərɪst /

noun

  1. freedom from bias or involvement

  2. lack of interest; indifference

"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

verb

  1. (tr) to free from concern for personal interests

"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

Etymology

Origin of disinterest

First recorded in 1605–15; dis- 1 + interest

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.

“It’s not out of disinterest on our part,” Hall adds — a slight caveat.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 12, 2026

“It was nihilistic almost in its total disinterest in communicating,” Bessner said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

In the light of his limited game time and Emery's often brutal honesty about his disinterest in signing him, Liverpool and Villa discussed altering the agreement in recent days.

From BBC • Feb. 3, 2026

So when those days roll around, it goes without saying: you don’t want a “mid” ham, the kind your guests push around on their plates with polite disinterest.

From Salon • Apr. 18, 2025

She raised her hands above her head, her face a mask of disinterest and quiet rage.

From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro

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.