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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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.
Like Cook, he traffics in clear-eyed, dispassionate analysis, not partisan wish-casting or political spin.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026
We encounter paintings on canvas and on copper; bronzes, terracottas and an impressive ivory; dispassionate portraits, intimate sketches and pitiless caricatures.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026
Rather than reacting emotionally, though, those at the top have sought to address what has gone wrong with the help of thorough, dispassionate analysis.
From BBC ● May 27, 2026
We must all reexamine our beliefs in a critical and dispassionate spirit to determine whether we are apprehending reality or clinging to mental fetishes.
From Salon ● Dec. 20, 2025
“Nobody’s starting in on you, buddy,” Zooey said, in the same dispassionate tone.
From "Franny and Zooey" by J. D. Salinger
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
