indifferent
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
not caring about something or having no interest in it.
showing a lack of interest, concern, or sympathy; unconcerned.
Simple“He was indifferent to the news and didn't even look up from his book.”
In context“The government remained largely indifferent to the protests, dismissing the public outcry as a temporary surge in populist sentiment.”
UsageOften followed by the preposition 'to'.
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
not very good; of only average quality.
of only moderate quality; mediocre or unexceptional.
Simple“The food at the new restaurant was indifferent, so we didn't go back.”
In context“Despite the hype surrounding the premiere, the critics dismissed the film as an indifferent effort that failed to capture the spirit of the novel.”
Antonyms - 03 C2 Proficiency
fair and not taking sides.
unbiased and impartial; not predisposed to one side or the other.
Simple“The judge promised to give an indifferent ruling based only on the facts.”
In context“The treaty required an indifferent observer to monitor the border and ensure that neither party violated the ceasefire agreement.”
Teacher's tipIn modern English, this sense is rare; 'indifferent' now almost always implies a lack of care rather than fair judgment.
“Gatlif remained indifferent to such criticisms and continued making films his way, even if audiences diminished in recent years.”
“Throughout edge tracking, that compass stayed locked to the wind, indifferent to whether the fly was in odor or out.”
From Old French indifferent, from Latin indifferens. By surface analysis, in- + different.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.