disinterested

UK: /dɪsˈɪntrəstɪd/, /dɪsˈɪntrɪstɪd/

US: /dɪsˈɪntəˌrɛstɪd, -trɪstɪd/

US: (dis in′tə res′tid, -tri stid)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

dis•in•ter•est•ed /dɪsˈɪntəˌrɛstɪd, -trɪstɪd/   adj. 

1. able to act fairly because not influenced by personal interest or advantage;
   unbiased:
   We need some disinterested mediators to settle the dispute.
2. not interested;
   indifferent:
   becoming disinterested in his children.

Usage

Compare disinterested and uninterested. The first meaning of disinterested, "able to act fairly; unbiased'' is quite different from uninterested, "not taking an interest.'' But the second meaning of disinterested listed here is identical to the meaning of uninterested, and some users of English feel that this use of disinterested is incorrect.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

dis•in•ter•est•ed  (dis in′tə res′tid, -tri stid), adj. 

1. unbiased by personal interest or advantage;
   not influenced by selfish motives:
   a disinterested decision by the referee.
2. not interested;
   indifferent.

• dis-¹ + interested 1605–15

dis•in′ter•est′ed•ly, adv. 
dis•in′ter•est′ed•ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. . impartial, neutral, unprejudiced, dispassionate. See fair ¹.

Antonyms

• 1. . partial, biased.

Usage

Disinterested and uninterested share a confused and confusing history. Disinterested was originally used to mean "not interested, indifferent''; uninterested in its earliest use meant "impartial.'' By various developmental twists, disinterested is now used in both senses. Uninterested is used mainly in the sense "not interested, indifferent.'' It is occasionally used to mean "not having a personal or property interest.''
Many object to the use of disinterested to mean "not interested, indifferent.'' They insist that disinterested can mean only "impartial'':
A disinterested observer is the best judge of behavior.
However, both senses are well established in all varieties of English, and the sense intended is almost always clear from the context.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

disinterested / dɪsˈɪntrɪstɪd -tərɪs-/ adjective

1. free from bias or partiality; objective
2. not interested

disˈinterestedly adverb

disˈinterestedness noun

USAGE
Many people consider that the use of disinterested to mean not interested is incorrect and that uninterested should be used