1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

apathy

noun

ˈa-pə-thē How to pronounce apathy (audio)
Definition of apathynext
1
as in numbness
a lack of emotion or emotional expressiveness the apathy of the people of that war-torn country comes from their having seen too many horrors

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disregard
lack of interest or concern her poor grades are proof enough of her apathy concerning all matters academic

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of apathy The moms Naturepedic surveyed simply want to do fewer chores—that means that partners and kids really need to step it up to make sure everyone is pulling their weight around the house, not just leaving it all to mom out of apathy. — Parents, 28 Aug. 2026 Dementia can also cause behavioral symptoms such as confusion, apathy, personality changes, anxiety and depression. — Hillary Lum, The Conversation, 27 Aug. 2026 That apathy paid off as the stock quickly peaked out at $219, collapsed a few months later to $80 during the depths of the 2022 tech crash. — Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026 But those decisions face the constant threat of litigation, which fuels uncertainty for college athletes each season and furthers fan apathy. — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for apathy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for apathy
  1. numbness
  2. disregard
  3. emptiness
  4. indifference
  5. insensibility
  6. phlegm
Noun
  • Too Much Vitamin B6 and Nerve Damage Taking high doses of B6 may cause numbness, a pins-and-needles sensation, or pain in your legs, impairing your ability to walk.
    — Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 4 Sep. 2026
  • This painful side effect, which can cause tingling and numbness in the hands and feet, can be managed with ice and painkillers or opioids.
    — Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of numbness
Noun
  • Gonzaba was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated, causing bodily injury, hit-and-run involving death/injury, vehicle theft and felony evading a peace officer with disregard for safety, police said.
    — Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • But Native Americans experienced slavery as stealing of relatives, as a community loss, and it was always intermingled with the stealing of their land and disregard for their sovereignty.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of disregard
Noun
  • Markets have seen through the emptiness of Bessent’s remedy, as ‘bond vigilantes’ have driven bond yields even higher despite Bessent’s band-aids.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Drugs ravaged the streets, leaving needles and even more emptiness in their wake.
    — Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of emptiness
Noun
  • Layered within its experimental form is a commentary on immigration and 21st century America, as the family regularly encounters Latinx migrants whose own families have been disrupted by the indifference of American immigration policies.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
  • And yes, this does lead her to develop a shocking indifference toward human life.
    — Katie Rife, IndieWire, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of indifference
Noun
  • The famous Lord Chesterfield[5] counselled his son that he should never be seen to laugh; and that gravity with real or apparent insensibility is a universal characteristic of the savage.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 July 2026
Definition of insensibility
Noun
  • Any confusion, difficulty walking, shortness of breath or coughing up significant phlegm should prompt an immediate descent.
    — Elaine Reno, The Conversation, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Your Mucus Changes Changes in mucus (phlegm) are among the most common signs of a COPD flare-up.
    — MD Published, Verywell Health, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of phlegm

Browse Nearby Words

apathetically
apathy
ape
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Apathy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/apathy. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on apathy

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about apathy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18
See More

Popular

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All