Synonyms of apathy

apathy

noun

ˈa-pə-thē 

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

• numbness
• impassivity
• impassiveness
• emptiness
• insensibility
• phlegm
• coldness
• detachment
• emotionlessness
• indifference
• callousness
• heartlessness
• affectlessness
• obduracy
• hardness
• deadness
• coolness
• insensitivity
• blankness
• imperturbability
• unconcern
• vacancy
• bloodlessness
• callosity
• stiffness
• hard-heartedness
• aloofness
• halfheartedness
• woodenness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• emotion
• feeling
• sympathy
• sensibility
• compassion
• pity
• empathy
• sensitivity
• understanding
• responsiveness
• receptivity
• warmth
• tenderness
• hysteria
• solicitude
• melodrama
• receptiveness
• hysterics
• vehemence
• histrionics
• hand-wringing

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

• disregard
• indifference
• unconcern
• nonchalance
• insouciance
• casualness
• complacence
• torpor
• disinterestedness
• incuriosity
• lethargy
• carelessness
• lukewarmness
• unawareness
• recklessness
• tepidity
• incuriousness
• heedlessness
• coldness
• callousness
• tepidness
• detachment
• aloofness
• dispassion
• stoicism
• halfheartedness
• listlessness
• insensitivity
• impassivity
• impassiveness
• stolidity
• hardness
• phlegm
• callosity
• hard-heartedness
• bloodlessness
• cool

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• interest
• concern
• awareness
• regard
• attention
• curiosity
• attentiveness
• sensitivity
• prejudice
• keenness
• bias
• conscientiousness
• desire
• partiality
• zeal
• warmth
• heedfulness
• passion
• vehemence
• ardor
• warmheartedness
• fervency

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of apathy

While there's a lot of apathy, in politics nationally, people in Tallahassee are just more energized than ever to take our city in a different direction. — Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026

McGilvray also thinks apathy will be widespread for this special primary so the local Republican Party is trying to get word out. — Debbie Elliott, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026

Most appalling to Graham is our collective inertia, not to say apathy. — Literary Hub, 6 Aug. 2026

But if Cal wants to survive the next realignment tidal wave, that apathy has to end today. — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2026

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