dispassionate
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of dispassionate
First recorded in 1585–95; dis- 1 + passionate
Explanation
Dispassionate describes someone who is not getting carried away by — or maybe not even having — feelings. It's something you'd want to see in a surgeon, who keeps cool under pressure, but not in a romantic partner. Dispassionate is the opposite of passionate, and while passions are said to run "hot," dispassionate people are often described as "cold." Many people think that a judge should be dispassionate when deciding a case — unaffected by strong emotions or preconceived prejudices.
Vocabulary lists containing dispassionate
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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ACT Reading Test: Words to Capture Tone, List 2
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "D"
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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.
Perhaps you think that’s a bit aggressive coming from a Supreme Court justice charged with making dispassionate decisions about the Constitution and the rule of law.
From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026
But a large part of pursuing a major medical breakthrough is separating science from pseudoscience in order to allow the scientific process to proceed with its dispassionate methods.
From Slate • Dec. 19, 2025
A dispassionate prompt—one that reminds leaders of what they have agreed to—can make a real difference by highlighting disconnects and asking, “Are you OK with that?”
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 1, 2025
On his Facebook page, he is known for dispassionate detail rather than alarmist hype.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 14, 2025
So much for our dispassionate examination of the germ’s interests.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
