Someone who is disinterested is not involved in a particular situation or not likely to benefit from it and is therefore able to act in a fair and unselfish way.
The current sole superpower is far from being a disinterested observer.
Scientists, of course, can be expected to be impartial and disinterested.
Such benevolence, however, was not completely disinterested.
Synonyms: impartial, objective, neutral, detached More Synonyms of disinterested
2. adjective
If you are disinterestedin something, you are not interested in it. Some users of English believe that it is not correct to use disinterested with this meaning.
We had both become jaded, disinterested, and disillusioned.
Lili had clearly regained her appetite but Doran was disinterested in food.
Synonyms: indifferent, apathetic, uninterested More Synonyms of disinterested
disinterested in British English
(dɪsˈɪntrɪstɪd, -tərɪs-)
adjective
1.
free from bias or partiality; objective
2.
not interested
▶ USAGE Many people consider that the use of disinterested to mean not interested is incorrect and that uninterested should be used
Derived forms
disinterestedly (disˈinterestedly)
adverb
disinterestedness (disˈinterestedness)
noun
disinterested in American English
(dɪsˈɪntrəstɪd; dɪsˈɪntərəstɪd)
adjective
1.
not influenced by personal interest or selfish motives; impartial; unbiased
2.
uninterested; indifferent
this usage, a revival of an obsolete meaning, is objected to by some
SIMILAR WORDS: inˈdifferent
Derived forms
disinterestedly (disˈinterestedly)
adverb
disinterestedness (disˈinterestedness)
noun
Examples of 'disinterested' in a sentence
disinterested
He came on for England against Malta and looked disinterested.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Self seeking is totally disinterested in serving.
Christianity Today (2000)
If you make too little eye contact you may seem disinterested.
Hambly, Dr Kenneth Banish Anxiety - how to stop worrying and take charge of your life (1991)
He was totally disinterested in us.
The Sun (2010)
That you'll ask some intelligent and disinterested person to look at the two scripts.
Hamilton, Ian Writers in Hollywood, 1915-51 (1990)
Worst of all, he seemed disinterested.
The Sun (2013)
The key to success is the impartial, disinterested approach.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Similarly the agent in demand can act in ways which seem disinterested or illogical when he is the one that has the top contacts and knows it.
Evans, Andrew The Secrets of Musical Confidence (1994)
DID not get in many scoring positions, looked disinterested at times.
The Sun (2011)
He seemed disinterested in what I was saying.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
He couldn't march in time with anyone and was completely disinterested in it, as most of us were.
The Sun (2007)
Completely disinterested in it.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
But I just had to get over it, and the crew is totally disinterested.
The Sun (2013)
We looked disinterested today and I can't explain why.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
In other languages
disinterested
British English: disinterested ADJECTIVE
Someone who is disinterested is not involved in a particular situation or not likely to benefit from it and is therefore able to act in a fair and unselfish way.
The current sole superpower is far from being a disinterested observer.
American English: disinterested
Brazilian Portuguese: imparcial
Chinese: 不涉己利的
European Spanish: desinteresado
French: désintéressé
German: unparteiisch
Italian: disinteressato
Japanese: 公平無私な
Korean: 사심이 없는
European Portuguese: imparcial
Latin American Spanish: desinteresado
1 (adjective)
Definition
free from bias
Scientists are expected to be impartial and disinterested.
Synonyms
impartial
They offer impartial advice, guidance and information to students.
objective
I would like your objective opinion on this.
neutral
Those who had decided to remain neutral now found themselves forced to take sides.
detached
The piece is written in a detached, precise style.
equitable
the equitable distribution of social wealth
impersonal
An executive announced the cuts in a curt and impersonal manner.
unbiased
The researchers were expected to be unbiased.
even-handed
The administration wants to ensure the meetings appear even-handed.
unselfish
As a player he was unselfish, a true team man.
uninvolved
unprejudiced
There must be a few honest and unprejudiced lawyers around.
free from self-interest
Opposites
involved
,
prejudiced
,
biased
,
partial
,
selfish
2 (adjective)
Definition
feeling or showing a lack of interest
We had become jaded, disinterested and disillusioned.
Synonyms
indifferent
apathetic
Many people feel apathetic about the candidates in both parties.
uninterested
unhelpful and uninterested shop staff
Usage note
Disinterested is now so commonly used to mean `not interested' that to avoid ambiguity it is often advisable to replace it by a synonym when the meaning intended is `impartial, unbiased'. In the Bank of English about 10% of the examples of the word occur followed by in, and overall about a third of examples are of this usage.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of apathetic
Many people feel apathetic about the candidates in both parties.
Synonyms
uninterested,
passive,
indifferent,
sluggish,
unmoved,
stoic,
stoical,
unconcerned,
listless,
cold,
cool,
impassive,
unresponsive,
phlegmatic,
unfeeling,
unemotional,
torpid,
emotionless,
insensible
in the sense of detached
Definition
showing no emotional involvement
The piece is written in a detached, precise style.