standoffish
adjective
somewhat aloof or reserved; cold and unfriendly.
standoffishness
-
a word derived from
standoffish.
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.
On a reconnaissance mission, Jessie climbs to the roof and discovers the root of this strange standoffishness: Every child, in every window, has their face glued to a screen.
From Salon ● Jun. 21, 2026
Perhaps that will change as monarch, but as Prince of Wales he developed an affable, grandfatherly style, with no standoffishness.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2022
Virginia Tech is more than willing to conjure Beamer nostalgia to erase the perceived standoffishness of Fuente.
From Washington Post ● Aug. 17, 2022
Ruffalo, in his round-shouldered, restrained performance, seemed to have uncannily captured Bilott’s trout-lipped solitude, a standoffishness that made him seem permanently braced.
From The New Yorker ● Nov. 4, 2019
Of Mia’s—well, standoffishness, even as she spent hours a day in Mrs. Richardson’s own home, in this very kitchen.
From "Little Fires Everywhere" by Celeste Ng
