as in distant
having or showing a lack of friendliness or interest in others
she proved to be simply shy, not standoffish
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 standoffish
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
Created by Liz Tuccillo (Alaska Daily), Best Medicine centers on Martin Best, a standoffish but talented Boston surgeon who’s abruptly taken a post as Port Wenn’s new general practitioner.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 2 Jan. 2026
Toby-Chien is loyal, rambunctious and devoted, while Kiki is standoffish and narcissistic, and the conversations between them are cleverly comic.
—Literary Hub, 9 Dec. 2025
One neighbor, Shamik Birzhet, 23, who lives in a third-floor apartment above the Pritchetts, told the Daily News the mother always struck him as standoffish and would often leave Jacob in the lobby unattended.
—Colin Mixson, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for standoffish
Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 14 Jan. 2026
Created by Liz Tuccillo (Alaska Daily), Best Medicine centers on Martin Best, a standoffish but talented Boston surgeon who’s abruptly taken a post as Port Wenn’s new general practitioner.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 2 Jan. 2026
Toby-Chien is loyal, rambunctious and devoted, while Kiki is standoffish and narcissistic, and the conversations between them are cleverly comic.
—Literary Hub, 9 Dec. 2025
One neighbor, Shamik Birzhet, 23, who lives in a third-floor apartment above the Pritchetts, told the Daily News the mother always struck him as standoffish and would often leave Jacob in the lobby unattended.
—Colin Mixson, Mercury News, 3 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for standoffish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for standoffish
Adjective
-
The prospects for a resumption of Gulf oil exports look distant, absent a major diplomatic or military breakthrough, after Iran reportedly started laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz.—
Dominic Dudley,
semafor.com,
11 Mar. 2026
-
After Phase 2 is complete, test-flights are expected to begin in early 2028, in the not-so-distant future.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
But also, the way that the hospice nurses are so compassionate and calm and present, but at the same time detached.—
Sam Reed,
Glamour,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The number of days homes spent on the market dropped sharply, down 30% for attached homes and 40% for detached homes.—
Sara B. Hansen,
Denver Post,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The snowpack acts as a natural water storage system for California, and ideally when the region’s climate shifts from cold to warm and dry, the snow gradually melts down from rivers and creeks to fill reservoirs over a period of months.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
-
Direct Sowing Outside This method is simple but must be done during fall to allow for natural cold stratification.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
That’s because players generally tend to be neutral on or supportive of their GMs, if not completely aloof.—
Pat Leonard,
New York Daily News,
27 Feb. 2026
-
Chows are depicted on Chinese pottery dating to the Han dynasty; some lore maintains that this aloof, moody breed evolved in the shadow of the North Pole.—
Andrew Norman Wilson,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Breathable mesh accents keep your feet cool and dry all day, while the anti-microbial, anti-odor insole technology keeps everything extra fresh, even in sticky weather.—
Sophie Dodd,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
-
As the name implies, this cool dessert is a true delight.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
This means all hardware resources—CPU, RAM, and storage—are 100% reserved for you.—
Gabriel Zamora,
PC Magazine,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Add sherry to reserved skillet, bring to a simmer over medium.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Parents report that many children stop eating, lose weight and become withdrawn.—
Mike Hixenbaugh,
NBC news,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The Flynns’ pompous neighbor, Jim Doherty, a divorcé with a withdrawn, unpleasant son, encourages Catherine’s artistic rebirth.—
Hannah Gold,
New Yorker,
21 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Standoffish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/standoffish. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
