disinterest
Lack of engagement
Disinterest has two meanings that usage guides have long tried to keep separate.
The traditional sense is impartiality—freedom from bias or personal stake: A judge must maintain disinterest in the outcome.
The disputed sense, now very common, means lack of interest or indifference: She showed complete disinterest in the proposal.
The verb disinterest means to free from interest or concern.
Many careful writers still distinguish disinterest (impartiality) from uninterest (not caring), but the merger is well advanced.
Freedom from personal bias
- neutralityState of taking sides
- fairnessJust and equal treatment
- unbiasednessAbsence of prejudice
- evenhandednessUnbiased, balanced judgment
nonpartisanship · dispassion · detachment · open-mindedness · unprejudiced · nonpartisan · judicious · fair-minded
Lack of interest
- unconcernAbsence of worry
- detachmentSeparation or emotional uninvolvement
- dispassionFreedom from emotional bias
- unresponsivenessLack of reaction
passivity · disengagement · inattention · incuriosity · heedlessness · disregard · inertia · torpor
Weary, listless dissatisfaction
- tediumWearisome dullness
- wearinessState of being drained
- monotonyTiresome lack of change
- dullnessLack of stimulation
fatigue · languor · restlessness · jadedness · satiation · overfamiliarity · yawning · disenchantment
objectivity
Freedom from personal bias
- neutralityState of taking sides
- fairnessJust and equal treatment
- unbiasednessAbsence of prejudice
evenhandedness · nonpartisanship · dispassion · detachment · open-mindedness · unprejudiced · nonpartisan · judicious · fair-minded · nonalignment
indifference
Lack of interest
- unconcernAbsence of worry
- detachmentSeparation or emotional uninvolvement
- dispassionFreedom from emotional bias
unresponsiveness · passivity · disengagement · inattention · incuriosity · heedlessness · disregard · inertia · torpor · lethargy
ennui
Weary, listless dissatisfaction
dullness · fatigue · languor · restlessness · jadedness · satiation · overfamiliarity · yawning · disenchantment · uninspired
- political apathyvoter apathy, political apathy, nonvoting, non-voting, low turnout
- attitudespositive, negative, ambition, apathy, curiosity
- boredomboredom, ennui, tedium, monotony, dullness
- fairnessfair play, fair shake, fair treatment, fair and square, fair share
- indifferenceapathy, indifference, unconcern, nonchalance, disregard
- whatevermeh, shrug, pfft, so what, who cares
disinterestbias
Unfair inclination or prejudice
partiality · partisanship · prejudice · favoritism · one-sidedness
disinterestinterest
Attention, stake, or fee
curiosity · fascination · enthusiasm · engagement · passion
disinterestself-interest
Concern for personal advantage
vested interest · investment · involvement · greed · conflict of interest