as in distant
having or showing a lack of friendliness or interest in others
she proved to be simply shy, not standoffish
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Recent Examples of standoffish
DeVito, on the other hand, was a series regular on all five seasons, portraying Louie De Palma, the standoffish head dispatcher of the Sunshine Cab Company.
—
Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Ozzy was standoffish, didn't like to play, and refused to let Sunny lay near him.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Aug. 2025
The opening match between Finland and Iceland was incredibly standoffish, with neither side looking to close down in the opposition’s half at all.
—Michael Cox, New York Times, 6 July 2025
Hired as a live-in caretaker in the opulent home, Ana Maria (Jenny Navarrete), a pregnant Colombian immigrant in Panama City hiding a major secret, develops a genuine bond with the initially standoffish Mechi, making for an unassumingly poignant and superbly acted two-hander.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for standoffish
Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Ozzy was standoffish, didn't like to play, and refused to let Sunny lay near him.
—Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Aug. 2025
The opening match between Finland and Iceland was incredibly standoffish, with neither side looking to close down in the opposition’s half at all.
—Michael Cox, New York Times, 6 July 2025
Hired as a live-in caretaker in the opulent home, Ana Maria (Jenny Navarrete), a pregnant Colombian immigrant in Panama City hiding a major secret, develops a genuine bond with the initially standoffish Mechi, making for an unassumingly poignant and superbly acted two-hander.
—Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for standoffish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for standoffish
Adjective
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There, the music switches to distant, classical pomp and the actor takes a seat at a tidy press junket-style set.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
8 Oct. 2025
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Electric aviation is far from a distant dream in 2025.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Ultimately, Weitzman says, while some people view the humor through an ironic or detached lens, the movie is made with an honesty that isn’t always depicted in comedy.—
William Earl,
Variety,
6 Oct. 2025
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Due to his austere and detached manner, he is known to immediately inspire awe in his patients.—
Ut Community Press,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This is when the weather in most places is nicest—not too cold, but not yet hot and humid.—
Kristin Braswell,
AFAR Media,
7 Oct. 2025
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But actually, simply cold emailing employers isn’t a bad way to stand out.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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An adult cat known for her aloof and anxious nature has delighted thousands of viewers on social media after forming an unexpected bond with a playful kitten, transforming her behavior and winning over hearts on the platform.—
Personal Finance,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
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Watson was accused of being aloof and out of touch and the team’s management was publicly roasted by a furious Phil Mickelson in the Sunday night press conference.—
Don Riddell,
CNN Money,
25 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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For those in hotter regions (like much of the South in summer), timing those loads of laundry matters for keeping your home cool and efficient, notes Daniel Vasilevski, the Director and Owner of Bright Force Electrical.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
12 Oct. 2025
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There’s nothing cooler than that.—
Stephen J. Nesbitt,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Remove from heat and stir in reserved ham and lemon juice.—
Elizabeth Mervosh,
Southern Living,
6 Oct. 2025
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Klopp is less reserved on player welfare.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
30 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Set in Taiwan in 1988, Girl revolves around Hsiao-lee, a quiet and withdrawn girl, growing up in silent gloom.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
5 Aug. 2025
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Unfortunately, further discussions were heated, with no resolve, just more withdrawn behavior while the communications continued.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
30 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Standoffish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/standoffish. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.
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