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disinterested

[ dis-in-tuh-res-tid, -tri-stid ]
/ dɪsˈɪn təˌrɛs tɪd, -trɪ stɪd /
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See synonyms for: disinterested / disinterestedly / disinterestedness on Thesaurus.com
adjective
unbiased by personal interest or advantage; not influenced by selfish motives: a disinterested decision by the referee.
not interested; indifferent.
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Origin of disinterested

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

synonym study for disinterested

1. See fair1.

words often confused with disinterested

Disinterested and uninterested share a confused and confusing history. Disinterested was originally used to mean “not interested, indifferent”; uninterested in its earliest use meant “impartial.” By various developmental twists, disinterested is now used in both senses. Uninterested is used mainly in the sense “not interested, indifferent.” It is occasionally used to mean “not having a personal or property interest.”
Many object to the use of disinterested to mean “not interested, indifferent.” They insist that disinterested can mean only “impartial”: A disinterested observer is the best judge of behavior. However, both senses are well established in all varieties of English, and the sense intended is almost always clear from the context.

OTHER WORDS FROM disinterested

dis¡in¡ter¡est¡ed¡ly, adverbdis¡in¡ter¡est¡ed¡ness, nounnon¡dis¡in¡ter¡est¡ed, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH disinterested

disinterested , uninterested (see confusables note at the current entry)

Words nearby disinterested

disintegrate, disintegration, disintegration constant, disinter, disinterest, disinterested, disintermediation, disintoxication, disinvent, disinvest, disinvestment
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Š Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to disinterested

aloof, casual, dispassionate, impartial, indifferent, neutral, unbiased, unselfish, candid, equitable, even-handed, impersonal, incurious, lackadaisical, negative, nonpartisan, outside, perfunctory, remote, unconcerned

How to use disinterested in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for disinterested

disinterested
/ (dɪsˈɪntrɪstɪd, -tərɪs-) /
adjective
free from bias or partiality; objective
not interested

Derived forms of disinterested

disinterestedly, adverbdisinterestedness, noun

usage for disinterested

Many people consider that the use of disinterested to mean not interested is incorrect and that uninterested should be used
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition Š William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 Š HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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