SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
indifferent
adjective
Showing little interest, concern, or preference.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Without much interest
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topIndifferent can mean having no preference without disliking either option.
RELATED FORMS, ONE FEATURED ENTRY
The indifferent family
These forms are closely related, but their grammar and use are not identical. Expand a form to compare its meaning and examples.
indifferencenoun
A lack of interest, concern, or strong preference.
Lack of interest or concern
Closest synonyms
Related expressions
Public indifference initially made it difficult to recruit volunteers.
During a practice auction at the welcome event, Ben's face was impassive even when a bid surprised him. A teammate described Mei as stolid because she showed little outward reaction throughout several dramatic turns in the game. Neither observation established indifference: both students kept careful track of the rules and asked for another round.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See indifferent in use
The audience seemed indifferent to which song opened the program.
Several members were indifferent between morning and afternoon sessions, accepting either time without a preference.
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