disinterested or uninterested? Disinterested does not mean the same as uninterested. A disinterested observer is somebody who is not on anybody's side; an uninterested observer simply does not care about what is going on

disinterested or uninterested? Disinterested is now so often used to mean ‘unconcerned’ or ‘bored’ (in other words uninterested), that it can easily be misinterpreted when used in its primary meaning in modern English of ‘impartial’ or ‘not motivated by selfishness’. A disinterested observer is somebody who is not on anybody's side; an uninterested observer simply does not care about what is going on. Careful users of English should try to preserve this distinction