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Synonyms

unenthusiastic

British  
/ ˌʌnɪnθjuːzɪˈæstɪk /

adjective

  1. lacking in enthusiasm

"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

Explanation

Whether it's a boring class, an unappealing chore, or a dull event, if you're not looking forward to it and show little interest or happiness toward it, then you're unenthusiastic. The word unenthusiastic describes a lack of excitement or interest. If someone’s unenthusiastic, they’re not really into what’s happening—like when you give a half-hearted cheer at a game because you don’t really care who wins. This word is often used when reactions feel flat or forced, as if the person would rather be doing something more fun. Being unenthusiastic means you’re not feeling the energy or passion, and it’s pretty clear you’re not enjoying whatever’s going on.

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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.

See Examples For:

He himself gave lackadaisical remarks on the convention’s first night—alongside everything else, Paxton is also an unenthusiastic public speaker—to an indifferent crowd.

From Slate ● Sep. 21, 2026

Bronx officials appear oddly unenthusiastic about this quarter-billion-dollar neighborhood investment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

The unenthusiastic market response to the trial appears to be related to the high proportion of patients who dropped out of the study after experiencing side effects.

From Barron's ● Dec. 11, 2025

Chris, who now runs UK indie studio Sidequest Ninja, says that in his experience smaller developers are generally unenthusiastic about using generative AI.

From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2024

I guess I sounded unenthusiastic or something, but that’s not how I meant it.

From "The Battle of the Labyrinth" by Rick Riordan

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