disinterest

1 of 2

verb

dis·​in·​ter·​est (ˌ)dis-ˈin-trəst How to pronounce disinterest (audio) -ˈin-tə-ˌrest How to pronounce disinterest (audio)
-tə-rəst,
-tərst;
-ˈin-ˌtrest
disinterested; disinteresting; disinterests

transitive verb

: to cause to regard something with no interest or concern

disinterest

2 of 2

noun

1
2
: lack of interest : indifference

Examples of disinterest in a Sentence

Noun His proposal was met with complete disinterest. since the coach has a son on the team, his disinterest in the selection of a team captain cannot be assumed
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Each pang of anxiety over my son’s disinterest is tempered by that memory. Literary Hub, 6 Oct. 2025 But Brennan and Murphy find thought-provoking tension in these imbalances, contrasting our disinterest in keeping up with America’s imperialist destruction with our never-ending fascination with Gein’s brutality and depravity. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2025 The necessary compensation, Atlanta’s disinterest in moving him and the amount of money the Bengals would need to take on with Cousins’ salary make this an unlikely scenario, even though Cousins would be the best football alternative. Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025 Polling for The Guardian again recorded a popularity crisis for the royals in 2000, but as Newsweek has shown before, it was largely fueled by disinterest rather than actual republican sentiment. Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for disinterest

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1612, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1658, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of disinterest was in 1612

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Cite this Entry

“Disinterest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/disinterest. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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