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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of standoffish
The boy was quiet, even standoffish, when Steve Montgomery first met him 15 years ago.
—
Taylor Batten,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Mar. 2026
Kirk is appealingly standoffish, if such a thing might be imagined.
—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Her brood includes peacocks, chickens, goats, horses, donkeys, and a new rescue rabbit named Bugsy who’s a bit standoffish.
—
Emily Elias,
Vogue,
15 Jan. 2026
Moscow’s standoffish stance last year was a wake-up call to Tehran’s leadership about the limits of its alliance with Putin — limits that were being seen today too, analysts said.
—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for standoffish
Taylor Batten,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Mar. 2026
Kirk is appealingly standoffish, if such a thing might be imagined.
—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Her brood includes peacocks, chickens, goats, horses, donkeys, and a new rescue rabbit named Bugsy who’s a bit standoffish.
—
Emily Elias,
Vogue,
15 Jan. 2026
Moscow’s standoffish stance last year was a wake-up call to Tehran’s leadership about the limits of its alliance with Putin — limits that were being seen today too, analysts said.
—
Holly Ellyatt,
CNBC,
14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for standoffish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for standoffish
Adjective
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Assemblymember Alex Bores, had 35%, followed by Schlossberg, who trailed in a distant third with less than 11%.
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Wet paint auctions feel like a distant memory, with frivolous, speculative art buying, especially from 2020 to 2022, now being passé.
Adjective
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They got approved for a mortgage on a £150,000 (about $198,441) two-bedroom, semi-detached house in Seaham, England.
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Olise has purposefully cultivated a kind of detached non-persona.
Adjective
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To prevent that, some operators maintain low oil flow rates, akin to dripping a faucet in freezing cold weather to avoid frozen pipes.
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Aging And The Long Game Of Leadership The conversation around aging often centers on biohackers seeking to lower their biological age through cold plunges, red light therapy, and peptides.
Adjective
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Cats are infamous for being aloof creatures.
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The design is still in progress, and while NJ Transit has joined Amtrak in shaping the latest proposal, the MTA remains sulkily aloof.
Adjective
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This cool, cosmopolitan hotel is within walking distance of Bend’s best restaurants, shops, and the Deschutes River, and was named one of the best in the country by Tripadvisor users in 2025.
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The fermentation is slow and cool to protect the aromas.
Adjective
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While Kafka is a bit more of a reserved personality, he’s been described as a coach who’s personable and can work with anyone.
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Even in recordings from the ’90s, Alfa displays a reserved but expressive personality, and a talent for fusing disparate sounds fluidly together.
Adjective
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Such movement was not mirrored on the Netherlands’ right, where the attack-minded Denzel Dumfries was playing a more withdrawn role.
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Without daily contact with peers, some children become more withdrawn, lonely or emotionally flat.
Cite this Entry
“Standoffish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/standoffish. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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