indifferent

adjective

in·​dif·​fer·​ent in-ˈdi-f(ə-)rənt 

-fərnt

1

a

: marked by a lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern for something : apathetic

indifferent to suffering and poverty

b

: marked by no special liking for or dislike of something

indifferent about which task he was given

2

a

: being neither good nor bad : mediocre

does indifferent work

b

: being neither right nor wrong

acts that are morally indifferent

3

: being neither excessive nor inadequate : moderate

hills of indifferent size

4

: marked by impartiality : unbiased

Jurors must be indifferent.

5

a

: that does not matter one way or the other

What others think is altogether indifferent to him.

b

: of no importance or value one way or the other

… when they sat round the table they talked about indifferent things.

—Virginia Woolf

6

: characterized by lack of active quality : neutral

an indifferent chemical

7

a

: not differentiated

indifferent tissues of the human body

b

: capable of development in more than one direction

especially : not yet embryologically determined

indifferently adverb

Did you know?

The Many Shades of Indifferent

Many of the words in our language have more than a single meaning. In most cases we have little trouble distinguishing them; we understand, based on the context in which each is used, that the English of "the English language" is different from the English used in billiards or pool ("spin around the vertical axis deliberately imparted to a ball that is driven or rolled"). In other cases, such as with the word indifferent, it can be a bit confusing. Indifferent may mean "unbiased," "apathetic," "mediocre," "unimportant," and several other things. Some of these senses are distinguished by the words commonly used with them; the "apathetic" sense, for instance, is typically followed by the preposition to. When using indifferent in your own writing take care that the surrounding words offer your reader sufficient context to prevent confusion.

Synonyms of indifferent

• nonchalant
• casual
• uninterested

Choose the Right Synonym for indifferent

indifferent, unconcerned, incurious, aloof, detached, disinterested mean not showing or feeling interest.

indifferent implies neutrality of attitude from lack of inclination, preference, or prejudice.

indifferent to the dictates of fashion

unconcerned suggests a lack of sensitivity or regard for others' needs or troubles.

unconcerned about the homeless

incurious implies an inability to take a normal interest due to dullness of mind or to self-centeredness.

incurious about the world

aloof suggests a cool reserve arising from a sense of superiority or disdain for inferiors or from shyness.

aloof from his coworkers

detached implies an objective attitude achieved through absence of prejudice or selfishness.

observed family gatherings with detached amusement

disinterested implies a circumstantial freedom from concern for personal or especially financial advantage that enables one to judge or advise without bias.

judged by a panel of disinterested observers

Examples of indifferent in a Sentence

It can hardly be argued, by himself or by his defenders, that he was indifferent to, or unaware of, the true situation. —Christopher Hitchens, Harper's, March 2001

… aspects of language that the earlier grammarians were indifferent to. —Geoffrey Nunberg, Atlantic, December 1983

For it is commonly said and commonly believed that science is completely neutral and indifferent as to the ends and values which move men to act … —John Dewey, Freedom and Culture, 1939

The movie was poorly received by an indifferent public.

Was the food good, bad, or indifferent?

Recent Examples on the Web

The pope, appearing moved, evoked his predecessor Pope Francis, who had stressed that Christians could not remain indifferent to tragedy and sorrow. —NPR, 1 Dec. 2025

Two of them — former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and former Orange County House member Katie Porter — have already depicted California as a state that’s indifferent to the struggles of low- and middle-income families. —U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Nov. 2025

The seemingly indifferent shih tzu lies motionless beneath the impromptu throne, while a retro synth instrumental soundtrack underscores the awkward timing of the moment. —MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2025

Dante had certainly hated this type in life; the shock here is how many of these indifferent souls there are. —Claudia Roth Pierpont, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French or Latin; Anglo-French, from Latin indifferent-, indifferens, from in- + different-, differens, present participle of differre to be different — more at differ

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Kids Definition

indifferent

adjective

in·​dif·​fer·​ent in-ˈdif-ərnt 

-ˈdif-(ə-)rənt

1

a

: having or showing no special liking for or dislike of something

the audience was indifferent

b

: not interested or concerned

indifferent to the troubles of others

2

: neither good nor bad : mediocre

indifferent health

3

: of no special influence or value : not important

that fact is indifferent to the argument

indifferently adverb

Medical Definition

indifferent

adjective

in·​dif·​fer·​ent in-ˈdif-ərnt, -ˈdif-(ə-)rent 

1

: having or exhibiting a lack of affect, concern, or care

2

a

: not differentiated

indifferent tissues of the human body

b

: capable of development in more than one direction

especially : not yet embryologically determined

indifferently adverb