aloofness

noun

aloof·​ness ə-ˈlüf-nəs How to pronounce aloofness (audio)
: the quality or state of being aloof or emotionally distant
Her aloofness … did not endear her to the rest of the company …Marybeth Kerrigan
… there was an aloofness in him which the boys and I could never quite bridge.Mildred D. Taylor
His aloofness was … born more of insecurity than of arrogance …David Cannadine
… was respected for his military tenacity and his surprising aloofness from party favoritism.Simon Schama

Examples of aloofness in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web This brought emotions to the surface and released us all from the aloofness that occurred when Aquarius season asked us to think about the bigger picture. Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Mar. 2024 Biden’s yearlong refusal to visit the site of the Norfolk Southern train wreck was a reminder of general aloofness and weakness with working-class voters. Matthew Continetti, National Review, 2 Mar. 2024 This is sure to bring emotions up to the surface and release us all from the aloofness that occurs when Aquarius season asks us to think about the bigger picture and Pisces likes to get into the minute-by-minute changes and feelings. Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Feb. 2024 One kind of thing has a certain autonomy, an aloofness; the other is instrumental, transactional. Sebastian Smee, Washington Post, 11 Dec. 2023 Awkward interactions on the trail dogged DeSantis' campaign, spawning viral videos and feeding his longtime reputation for aloofness. arkansasonline.com, 22 Jan. 2024 DeSantis’s reputation for aloofness and lack of collegiality in Tallahassee stands in contrast to Trump’s backslapping personality. Lori Rozsa, Washington Post, 8 Nov. 2023 Europe cannot be united on the basis of anti-Americanism or even aloofness from the United States. Radek Sikorski, Foreign Affairs, 20 June 2023 Their chemistry — Blunt playing imperious aloofness as lead assistant Emily to Hathaway’s bumbling, frizzy charm as junior assistant Andrea — buoyed the workplace romantic comedy to $325 million at the global box office and made both women into megastars. Matt Donnelly, Variety, 6 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'aloofness.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

aloof entry 1 + -ness

First Known Use

1639, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of aloofness was in 1639

Dictionary Entries Near aloofness

Cite this Entry

“Aloofness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aloofness. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

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