uninterested

adjective

un·​in·​ter·​est·​ed

ˌən-ˈin-t(ə-)rə-stəd;

-ˈin-tə-ˌre- 

-ˈin-ˌtre-;

-ˈin-tər-

: not interested : not having the mind or feelings engaged

Disinterested vs. Uninterested: Usage Guide

Disinterested and uninterested have a tangled history. Uninterested originally meant impartial, but this sense fell into disuse during the 18th century. About the same time the original sense of disinterested also disappeared, with uninterested developing a new sense—the present meaning—to take its place. The original sense of uninterested is still out of use, but the original sense of disinterested revived in the early 20th century. The revival has since been under frequent attack as an illiteracy and a blurring or loss of a useful distinction. Actual usage shows otherwise. The "free from selfish interest" sense of disinterested is still its most frequent sense, especially in edited prose; it shows no sign of vanishing. Further, disinterested has developed an additional sense—"no longer interested"—perhaps influenced by the "deprive of" sense of the prefix dis-, that contrasts with uninterested.

when I grow tired or disinterested in anything, I experience a disgust

—Jack London, letter, 1914

Still, use of the "not interested" and "no longer interested" senses of disinterested will incur the disapproval of some who may not fully appreciate the history of this word or the subtleties of its present use.

Synonyms

• nonchalant
• casual
• disinterested

Examples of uninterested in a Sentence

the teacher decided to make a career change after having to teach yet another class of uninterested teens

Recent Examples on the Web

During Trump‘s first term, many rules and regulations were struck down precisely because the administration seemed uninterested in following the normal rules and procedures of federal rule-making, including meaningfully engaging with comments and providing rational bases for their actions. —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 31 July 2025

In both cases, he was eventually cleared (though a new civil case looms in the UK), but his career has not been revived there and Hollywood remains uninterested. —Max Goldbart, Deadline, 27 June 2025

Last night, a person familiar with the details informed NPR that among Israeli officials, there is an understanding that Hamas is uninterested in a deal and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pushing for hostage release through military defeat. —Brittney Melton, NPR, 4 Aug. 2025

Now, Fishel is uninterested in sharing the rest of the loot with others. —Daysia Tolentino, EW.com, 20 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1661, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for uninterested

• disinterested
• interested

Kids Definition

uninterested

adjective

un·​in·​ter·​est·​ed

ˌən-ˈint-ə-ˌres-təd,

ˈən-;

-ˈin-trəs-,

-ˌtres-;

-ˈint-ərs-,

-ˈint-ə-rəs-

: not interested : not paying attention