What does it mean to be indifferent

Indifferent Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

in·dif·fer·ent in-ˈdi-f(ə-)rənt

-fərnt

: marked by a lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern for something : apathetic

indifferent to suffering and poverty

: marked by no special liking for or dislike of something

indifferent about which task he was given

: being neither good nor bad : mediocre

does indifferent work

: being neither right nor wrong

: being neither excessive nor inadequate : moderate

hills of indifferent size

: marked by impartiality : unbiased

: that does not matter one way or the other

: of no importance or value one way or the other

: characterized by lack of active quality : neutral

an indifferent chemical

: not differentiated

indifferent tissues of the human body

: capable of development in more than one direction

especially : not yet embryologically determined

indifferently adverb

Did you know?

Many of the words in our language have more than a single meaning. In most cases we have little trouble distinguishing them; we understand, based on the context in which each is used, that the English of "the English language" is different from the English used in billiards or pool ("spin around the vertical axis deliberately imparted to a ball that is driven or rolled"). In other cases, such as with the word indifferent, it can be a bit confusing. Indifferent may mean "unbiased," "apathetic," "mediocre," "unimportant," and several other things. Some of these senses are distinguished by the words commonly used with them; the "apathetic" sense, for instance, is typically followed by the preposition to. When using indifferent in your own writing take care that the surrounding words offer your reader sufficient context to prevent confusion.

Synonyms

apathetic
casual
complacent
disinterested
incurious
insensible
insouciant
nonchalant
perfunctory
pococurante
unconcerned
uncurious
uninterested

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Example Sentences

It can hardly be argued, by himself or by his defenders, that he was indifferent to, or unaware of, the true situation. Christopher Hitchens, Harper's, March 2001 … aspects of language that the earlier grammarians were indifferent to. Geoffrey Nunberg, Atlantic, December 1983 For it is commonly said and commonly believed that science is completely neutral and indifferent as to the ends and values which move men to act … John Dewey, Freedom and Culture, 1939

The movie was poorly received by an indifferent public.

Was the food good, bad, or indifferent?

Recent Examples on the Web Well, everyone except her husband, Daemon (Matt Smith), who was indifferent at best and even chuckled audibly during the eulogy. Ryan Parker, Peoplemag, 2 Oct. 2022 Among the one in five who are indifferent, Oz is ahead by more than 3-to-1. Dana Blanton, Fox News, 28 Sep. 2022 But even those who were indifferent could not ignore the Ukrainian counterattack. Andrei Kolesnikov, CNN, 21 Sep. 2022 How to reconcile the need to disclose and report facts and events with the risk of causing people to become hardened or indifferent to the suffering of others? Vogue, 12 Sep. 2022 In Russia, a survey released in March 2010 by an independent polling company found 76% of respondents either hostile or indifferent to Gorbachev. Fortune, 30 Aug. 2022 The revival is also being propelled by a genre-fluid generation of fans, eager to consume and indifferent to the niches of traditional music categories. Edward Segarra, USA TODAY, 8 Aug. 2022 Some of the tech can be manually disabled, prompting concerns that drivers may become indifferent to it. Morgan Korn, ABC News, 6 Aug. 2022 The jovial owner, called Jupe, has also had some contact with the U.F.O. and is also trying to profit from it, indifferent to the risks involved. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 25 July 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'indifferent. ' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French or Latin; Anglo-French, from Latin indifferent-, indifferens, from in- + different-, differens, present participle of differre to be different — more at differ

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Time Traveler

The first known use of indifferent was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Dictionary Entries Near

indifferent

indifferency

indifferent

indifferentism

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“Indifferent. ” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/indifferent. Accessed 17 Oct. 2022.

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Kids Definition

indifferent

in·dif·fer·ent in-ˈdif-ərnt

-ˈdif-(ə-)rənt

: having or showing no special liking for or dislike of something

the audience was indifferent

: not interested or concerned

indifferent to the troubles of others

: neither good nor bad : mediocre

indifferent health

: of no special influence or value : not important

that fact is indifferent to the argument

indifferently adverb

Medical Definition

indifferent

in·dif·fer·ent in-ˈdif-ərnt, -ˈdif-(ə-)rent

: having or exhibiting a lack of affect, concern, or care

: not differentiated

indifferent tissues of the human body

: capable of development in more than one direction

especially : not yet embryologically determined

More from Merriam-Webster on

indifferent

Nglish: Translation of indifferent for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of indifferent for Arabic Speakers

Last Updated: 6 Oct 2022

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Merriam-Webster unabridged

Indifferent Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.

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British

This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.

[ in-dif-er-uhnt, -dif-ruhnt ]

/ ɪnˈdɪf ər ənt, -ˈdɪf rənt /

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See synonyms for: indifferent / indifferently on Thesaurus.com

This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.

adjective

without interest or concern; not caring; apathetic: his indifferent attitude toward the suffering of others.

having no bias, prejudice, or preference; impartial; disinterested.

neither good nor bad in character or quality; average; routine: an indifferent specimen.

not particularly good, important, etc. ; unremarkable; unnotable: an indifferent success; an indifferent performance.

of only moderate amount, extent, etc.

not making a difference, or mattering, one way or the other.

immaterial or unimportant.

not essential or obligatory, as an observance.

making no difference or distinction, as between persons or things: indifferent justice.

neutral in chemical, electric, or magnetic quality.

Biology. not differentiated or specialized, as cells or tissues.

noun

an ethically or morally indifferent act.

a person who is indifferent, especially in matters of religion or politics.

adverb

Archaic. indifferently: I am indifferent well.

OTHER WORDS FOR indifferent

4 mediocre, undistinguished, uninspired, commonplace.

See synonyms for indifferent on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

SHALL WE PLAY A "SHALL" VS. "SHOULD" CHALLENGE?

Should you take this quiz on “shall” versus “should”? It should prove to be a quick challenge!

Question 1 of 6

Which form is commonly used with other verbs to express intention?

Origin of indifferent

1350–1400; Middle English (adj. ) <Latin indifferent- (stem of indifferēns). See in-³, different

OTHER WORDS FROM indifferent

in·dif·fer·ent·ly, adverbqua·si-in·dif·fer·ent, adjectivequa·si-in·dif·fer·ent·ly, adverbsu·per·in·dif·fer·ent, adjective

su·per·in·dif·fer·ent·ly, adverb

Words nearby indifferent

indie, Indienne, Indies, indifference, indifferency, indifferent, indifferentism, indigence, indigene, indigenize, indigenous

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

Words related to indifferent

aloof, apathetic, callous, detached, diffident, disinterested, distant, haughty, heartless, impartial, impervious, inattentive, neutral, nonchalant, uncaring, unconcerned, uninvolved, unresponsive, unsympathetic, blasé

How to use indifferent in a sentence

Americans who are indifferent to the risk posed by the virus would be unlikely to embrace such a reintroduction.
The administration hoped its new mask guidance would stoke vaccinations. It doesn’t seem to have worked.|Philip Bump|July 22, 2021|Washington Post
If he’s that indifferent to that perilous dynamic right after Justice Ginsburg’s disastrous choice to not retire, presidential arm-twisting probably won’t do much good.
SCOTUS Watchers Freak Out Over Breyer’s ‘Selfish’ and ‘Dangerous’ Decision to Stay Put|Scott Bixby|July 9, 2021|The Daily Beast
Others may be disillusioned, frustrated and even afraid, but nobody should feel indifferent.
Locked up in the Land of Liberty: Part I|Yariel Valdés González|July 7, 2021|Washington Blade
After years of being mostly indifferent to podcasts, the world’s tech platforms — as well as the largest terrestrial radio broadcasters — have grown interested in them as they battle on every front of the digital ad market.
Cheat Sheet: Why Amazon bought Art19|Max Willens|June 28, 2021|Digiday

I, on the other hand, am an indifferent cook whose dinner parties have become legendary for how awful they were.
Miss Manners: Aunt feels left out of distant event|Judith Martin, Nicholas Martin, Jacobina Martin|June 25, 2021|Washington Post
However, as she feared, The Bell Jar appeared to indifferent notices and the launch—which Ted attended—was rather low-key.
Ted Hughes’s Brother on Losing Sylvia Plath|Gerald Hughes|December 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The immigrants can stay, because they are victims of indifferent authorities just like we are.
In Rome’s Riots, Cries for Mussolini and Attacks on Refugees|Barbie Latza Nadeau|November 14, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Because we have so little skin in the game, it seems that the public is indifferent.
McCain’s 13 Favorite Soldiers|Sandra McElwaine|November 11, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Communist-era clerks were famously rude and indifferent, because they had no motive to make people happy.
Why Your Waiter Hates You|Jedediah Purdy|October 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Yet, according to the complaint, Berger was “deliberately indifferent” to these allegations against Gibney.
Is UMass-Amherst Biased Against Male Students in Title IX Assault Cases?|Emily Shire|August 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The reformers of the earlier period were not indifferent to the need for centralized organization in the banking system.
Readings in Money and Banking|Chester Arthur Phillips
She stabbed him, noting the effect upon him with a detached interest that seemed indifferent to his pain.
The Wave|Algernon Blackwood
Thus arrayed I fixed myself on the porch, to be smoking my pipe in a careless, indifferent way when she came.
The Soldier of the Valley|Nelson Lloyd
Indifferent health, for he was delicate too, was one of the bonds between us.
Fifty Years of Railway Life in England, Scotland and Ireland|Joseph Tatlow
I have elsewhere spoken of the indifferent figure made by most Englishmen at public speaking.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley

British Dictionary definitions for indifferent

indifferent

/ (ɪnˈdɪfrənt, -fərənt) /

adjective

(often foll by to) showing no care or concern; uninterestedhe was indifferent to my pleas

unimportant; immaterial

of only average or moderate size, extent, quality, etc
not at all good; poor

showing or having no preferences; impartial

biology

(of cells or tissues) not differentiated or specialized
(of a species) not found in any particular community

Derived forms of indifferent

indifferently, adverb

Word Origin for indifferent

C14: from Latin indifferēns making no distinction

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Why is it bad to be indifferent and what does it lead to?

We were taught from childhood that indifference is bad. You have to be kind and help others. These are the “immutable rules” of a responsible and socially active person. Soviet films helped to bring up the best qualities in a person, and the old film magazine "Wick" ridiculed indifferent and cold-blooded people.

In this article, we will look at what indifference is, why it is bad to be indifferent, and how an indifferent attitude towards each other leads to the degradation of society.

What is indifference

Human indifference is characterized by such qualities as: indifference, apathy, indifference, callousness, cynicism… Not the best set…

They say about an indifferent person that he does not want to take part in the lives of others, he feels indifference, callousness and a passive position towards close people and others. He deliberately refuses to help anyone and resolve issues that do not concern him personally.

The indifference of one person leads to the "mirror" behavior of other people in relation to him. If someone has shown deliberate indifference to another, then he is likely to do the same.

Where does indifference come from in society

Indifference is a social phenomenon. A child is not born indifferent, he begins to show such negative qualities and attitudes towards others under the influence of society.

Therefore, the first reason why a person behaves so indifferently is education. The child adopts the behavior of adults, learns to understand the world, evaluates what is good and what is bad through the "prism" of the actions of their parents. If a mother says that the uncle who is lying on the bench is “homeless and dangerous to approach”, but in fact this is a person who needs help, then such a parent can be called indifferent. If the situation is repeated several times, the child will have a certain pattern of behavior relating to such a case. At the same time, the child may not show indifference to a dirty kitten, because he has already rescued lost animals.

The second reason for the manifestation of indifference may be personal experience. For example, if an adult knows how to give first aid and has already helped those who are in trouble, then most likely he will not pass by again. But if there is no first aid experience, he will be confused, frightened and refuse to help.

Character traits and temperament can also be the cause of an indifferent attitude towards others. So selfish and infantile people are fixated only on themselves, they believe that everyone owes them, and only their problems are the most important in the world.

The problem of indifference can be associated with the individual's tendency to depression, apathy, loss of meaning in life, self-disappointment and low self-esteem.

How to deal with indifference to one's own life

If you have become indifferent to your own life and have lost meaning in it, then perhaps this is the first sign of impending depression. A psychologist will help you to establish an emotional background. But if at the moment you do not have the opportunity to contact a specialist, then use our advice:

Focus only on the positive things in life. Of course, good things are quickly forgotten, and we remember the negative for a long time. But you must consciously reinforce positive moments in the subconscious. To fix the positive, this practice will help - at the end of the day, write down in a notebook or say out loud 5 joys of the day. These may be the simplest and most banal things, but they are what will make your brain concentrate on positive things.

Not a single person has been adorned with indifference. This is a bad personality trait that is considered a vice in society.

2. Don't cut social contact. Even if you don't feel like going anywhere or doing anything, force yourself to go out for at least a short walk. Agree with yourself that you will leave the house for exactly 30 minutes. You can even set a timer. After the time is up, most likely you will continue walking.

3. Proper nutrition, healthy sleep, moderate physical activity have always been the right companions of an active life. Don't forget about them.

4. Find a new hobby or return to an old forgotten hobby.

5. Listen to your true desires. Do what pleases you.

6. Get a pet. Caring for our smaller brothers and playing with them will help to cope with indifference to life and give positive emotions.

Book an online consultation if you experience indifference from others, feel anxious or unable to help a stranger yourself. Our experts will help you find the cause of this behavior, tell you how to change habitual actions and eliminate apathy.

FAQ

What are examples of indifference and indifference?

You can give such an example from life: let's say a person fell, it became ill, caring people immediately come running and begin to provide assistance, perhaps they will call an ambulance. An indifferent person will pass by as if nothing is happening, will not ask passers-by if help is needed, will not help the patient.

What does indifference mean? Is there a definition for this phenomenon?

In short, indifference means indifference, cynicism, indifference, callousness. This phenomenon carries a danger to society because it leads to the degradation of the population - each in itself and each other are hostile.

Can indifference appear in a well-educated person?

In general, indifference arises from a lack of education and poor upbringing. But some symptoms of apathy and indifference may appear during a period of crisis or at those moments when his emotional state becomes worse.

Expert opinion

Human indifference is behavior that is criticized by society. But at the same time, it is promoted by the media and social networks. You can remove indifference only by working on yourself. To do this, you need to do charity work, help others, pay attention to those who are nearby, even strangers. You can even help with words. If you do your best to participate in the lives of other people, you will never be called an indifferent person.

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Article author

Monakhova Albina Petrovna clinical psychologist

Experience 17 years

Consultations 1439

Articles 234

Specialist in clinical psychology. Help in finding tools for self-realization, working out beliefs, fears and anxieties. Work with self-attitude, internal boundaries, understanding of interaction with society through conscious personal changes.

2007 - 2008 Children's polyclinic No. 4 - teacher psychologist
2008 - 2009Healthy Country LLC - Clinical Psychologist
2009 - 2021 Republican Narcological Dispensary - psychologist
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Indifference... Is this a diagnosis? | Psychology

Recently, indifference is a familiar word. We often hear about him on television and on the radio. It is in the air outside. Everyone is afraid of him, and when faced with him, they do not recognize him.

Because indifference is not a hefty uncle with a bloody ax in his hands and not a suicide bomber with explosives on his belt, but a little gray man who sits in a corner and quietly reads a newspaper while the uncle with the suicide bomber is operating. He sits and hopes that they will not notice him, he waits for a kind policeman to come and arrest everyone, that everything will be fine without him, and he will only get up in vain ... He will always find a logical explanation for his inaction. After all, he didn't do anything... that.

But is it really so? How does a person who has experienced indifference feel? It methodically kills all life in a person, all feelings, including hope. At the same time, it’s like it has nothing to do with it. That's why it's indifference. No responsibility. No regrets And there's nothing to blame him for, because he didn't do anything. How convenient... how small...

They say that indifference is inherited. Indifference is akin to cowardice and meanness. It will never respond to someone else's pain. Just won't hear.

Indifference is the indifference, callousness and failure of the human soul. As a rule, indifferent people do not recognize themselves as such, moreover, some of them quite seriously consider themselves romantics. It's funny... By definition, romance is feelings and emotions that elevate a person, it is "characterized by the depiction of strong passions." To put it simply, romance is true love, devoted friendship... So indifference and romance are incompatible.

I would rather classify those who are indifferent, on the contrary, as pragmatists. But this is also difficult. Because they are nothing, neither this nor that, neither fish nor meat, insipid and tasteless. Sometimes well-read. And even quite emotionally they can retell what they have read or heard. But very soon you begin to realize that these statements contain little personal attitude, and you lose interest.

Indifference is always masked. It masquerades as all sorts of human feelings. It is deceiving. And she believes in her deceit. And therefore it is not immediately recognizable. And so it is dangerous. Deception and disappointment hurt.

Indifferent people are half-humans, sub-humans, standing at a lower stage of human evolution. And in their essence, they are terrible people, because they lack all the senses except hunger, cold and comfort. Indifference, as such, is cruel. It destroys love, kills faith in people.

Bruno Jasienski (1901−1938), a remarkable Polish and Russian writer, who was shot in 1938, wrote very correct words in his novel The Conspiracy of the Indifferent:

you, do not be afraid of your enemies - in the worst case, they can kill you, be afraid of the indifferent - only with their tacit consent do betrayals and murders occur on Earth.

A.P. Chekhov spoke no less eloquently on this subject:

"Indifference is paralysis of the soul, premature death."

However, all of the above is lyrics, emotions. Someone, perhaps, will take it personally and be indignant, which is not bad. And if he analyzes it, then it’s very good.

Because our medal also has a downside. And on the other side, indifference no longer seems such a vice. Indifference can be a manifestation of the so-called0078 alexithymia - a condition, although not contagious, but rather intrusive and unhelpful.

People suffering from alexithymia are not able to understand and understand their own feelings and experiences, and therefore, as a result, the emotions of other people are alien to them. Compassion is alien to them, empathy is alien and pity is alien. They lack intuition and imagination. The personality of such people, citing psychology, "is characterized by the primitiveness of life orientation, infantilism and, what is especially important, the insufficiency of the function of reflection."

For reference. Reflection is an appeal to your inner world, to your experience, the ability to comprehend your own actions and their motivation, the ability to understand what you feel and why you feel.

The term alexithymia is further specified:

"The combination of these qualities leads to excessive pragmatism, the impossibility of a holistic view of one's own life, a lack of a creative attitude towards it, as well as difficulties and conflicts in interpersonal relationships. "

Does this remind you of anything?

The origin of alexithymia is different. This phenomenon may be congenital. As, for example, a stable quality of a person's personality. And it can have an acquired, i.e. temporary, character. An example is a post-traumatic reaction, a state due to experienced stress, prolonged depression, as a protective reaction of the body to the aggression of the outside world.

One of the reasons may be the lack of warmth, affection, participation in the upbringing of the personality from early childhood. According to statistics, most indifferent people in childhood did not receive maternal love and attention. Often parents, instead of asking the child about what he feels and experiences, not only do not pay attention to it (in other words, remain indifferent), but also teach the child to hide his feelings. Just like that, a healthy child can develop alexithymia, which will subsequently deprive him of many human joys, including the joy of loving and being loved.

Of course, I have not mentioned all the symptoms and manifestations of alexithymia, especially since its severity can be different. Someone sees in it a disease, a mental disorder, someone sees a certain psychological make-up of a person’s personality. But the purpose of this article is not alexithymia, as such, but the essence of human indifference...

In this regard, I want to note that not every indifferent person is affected by alexithymia. Many indifferent people simply pretend to be such or are mentally lazy people who are perfectly aware of the situation, take care of their own feelings, but try once again not to expend energy on another, even close, person. And it's already cruel.

To test for true indifference, or alexithymia, Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) is a special 26-item test. Those who are interested can easily find it on the net.

As for the treatment of indifference, there is nothing comforting. Scientists unanimously argue that indifference is not treated. True, some optimists advise using empathy.

And in this regard, one cannot but admit that indifference is worthy of pity, because the colors of life are inaccessible to indifferent people. They are unable to experience and unable to rejoice. They are incapable of love. And that's why no one likes them either. They are doomed to loneliness.