SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
aloof
adjective
Emotionally distant or reluctant to become closely involved with others.
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Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
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The Girl on the Grand Staircase · paragraph 1Emotionally distant
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topReserved can be neutral; standoffish suggests an unfriendly manner.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See aloof in use
At first the narrator seems aloof, but later chapters reveal her uncertainty.
At a residence-hall welcome, Ben seemed aloof when he stayed apart and declined several invitations to join a conversation.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license