indifferent

comparative more indifferent · superlative most indifferent

1. Ambivalent; unconcerned; uninterested, apathetic.

   He was indifferent to the proposal, since it didn’t affect him, either way.

   2 more examples

   “I must not hope to be ever situated as you are, in the midst of every dearest connexion, and therefore I cannot expect that simply growing older should make me indifferent about letters.” / “Indifferent! Oh! no—I never conceived you could become indifferent. Letters are no matter of indifference; they are generally a very positive curse.”

   1815 December (indicated as 1816), [Jane Austen], chapter XVI, in Emma: […], volume II, London: […] [Charles Roworth and James Moyes] for John Murray, →OCLC

   When you have a hundred francs in the world you are liable to the most craven panics. When you have only three francs you are quite indifferent; for three francs will feed you till tomorrow, and you cannot think further than that. You are bored, but you are not afraid.

   1933 January 9, George Orwell [pseudonym; Eric Arthur Blair], chapter III, in Down and Out in Paris and London, London: Victor Gollancz […], →OCLC

   Synonyms: insouciant, nonchalant, adiaphroistic, apathetic, apathistical, blasé, blithe, deaf

2. Indicating or reflecting a lack of concern or care.

   She responded with an indifferent shrug.

   4 more examples

   Donald appeared not to see her at all, and answered her wise little remarks with curtly indifferent monosyllables […]

   1886 May, Thomas Hardy, chapter XXV, in The Mayor of Casterbridge: The Life and Death of a Man of Character. […], volume II, London: Smith, Elder & Co., […], →OCLC

   Then she shrugged, the mildest, most indifferent gesture he had ever seen, and smiled.

   1953, James Baldwin, “Gabriel’s Prayer”, in Go Tell It on the Mountain (A Laurel Book), New York, N.Y.: Dell Publishing Co., published December 1985, →ISBN, part 2 (The Prayers of the Saints), pages 122–123

   ‘Wonderful, Florence,’ I said, producing the ritual phrases: ‘I don’t know what I would do without you.’ But of course I do know. I would sink into the indifferent squalor of old age.

   1990, J. M. Coetzee, Age of Iron, London: Secker & Warburg, page 33

   “As a result, OCR found that the district’s pattern of inconsistent responses to reports it received of sexual harassment – infrequently responding under Title IX or not responding at all – rose to the level that the district’s response to some families’ sexual harassment reports was deliberately indifferent to students’ civil rights,” a news release from DOE reads.

   2024 November 14, Lauren del Valle, “After suicide of nonbinary teen, DOE finds multiple Title IX violations at Oklahoma school district”, in CNN

   Synonyms: laid-back, pococurante, airy, at ease, at peace, carefree, careless, casual

3. Mediocre (usually used negatively in modern usage).

   The Blue Jays' performance has been indifferent this season.

   4 more examples

   The long distance and the indifferent roads made the journey impossible.

   When Mrs. Honour had made her Report from the Landlord, Sophia, with much Difficulty, procured some indifferent Horses, which brought her to the Inn, where Jones had been confined rather by the Misfortune of meeting with a Surgeon, than by having met with a broken Head.

   1749, Henry Fielding, chapter 9, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume (please specify |volume=I to VI), London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book X, page 275

   [T]he state-rooms are unaired, and in indifferent order, since of late years.

   1826, [Walter Scott], chapter III, in Woodstock; Or, The Cavalier. […], volume I, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, →OCLC, page 84

   Suddenly Barbara remembered the party where she had first met Ruth Gardnor with her husband. The night of the dinner party. And the cello: it had been an indifferent performance.

   1965, Muriel Spark, The Mandelbaum Gate, Part 2, page 252

   Synonyms: lackluster, ordinary, average, comme ci comme ça, crappy, moderate, decent, lackluster

4. Having no preference.

   I am indifferent between the two plans.

   2 more examples

   Let Guilt or Fear / Disturb Man’s Rest: Cato knows neither of ’em, / Indiff’rent in his Choice to sleep or die.

   1712 (date written), [Joseph] Addison, Cato, a Tragedy. […], London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], published 1713, →OCLC, Act V, scene i, page 57

   The scientific worker aims at knowledge and is quite indifferent whether people like or dislike the knowledge he produces.

   1933 September, H[erbert] G[eorge] Wells, “Intellectual Antagonism to the Modern State”, in The Shape of Things to Come, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company, →OCLC, 3rd book (The World Renascence: The Birth of the Modern State), page 302

5. datedUnbiased, impartial, judging fairly.

   1 more example

   On October 7, 1640, the Massachusetts General Court attempted to solve the problem by a law stating that property seized for debts was to be assessed "at such prizes [prices] as the same shalbee valewed [shall be valued] at by 3 understanding and indifferent men, to bee chosen, the one by the creditor, another by the debtor, and the third by the marshall […]"

   1955, Bernard Bailyn, The New England Merchants In The Seventeenth Century, Harvard University Press, page 48

   Synonyms: objective, unbiased, candid, cold, clinical, detached, egal, equal

6. Not making a difference; without significance or importance.

   Even if one appliance consumes an indifferent amount of energy when left on stand-by overnight, together they can represent 10% of the electricity demand of a household.

   4 more examples

   […] But I am arm’d, / And dangers are to me indifferent.

   1599 (first performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Iulius Cæsar”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]

   [E]very thing in the world is indifferent but sin.

   1651, Jer[emy] Taylor, “Of Contentedness”, in The Rule and Exercises of Holy Living. […], 2nd edition, London: […] Francis Ashe […], →OCLC, section 6, page 146

   His gestures, his gait, his grizzled beard, his slightest and most indifferent acts, the very fashion of his garments, were odious in the clergyman’s sight; […]

   1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter, a Romance, Boston, Mass.: Ticknor, Reed, and Fields, →OCLC, page 162

   We talked of indifferent things, and watched the juggler who was tossing torches in the Stadium, for twilight was falling.

   1956, Mary Renault, “Chapter 28”, in The Last of the Wine, New York: Modern Library, page 374

   Synonyms: negligible, unimportant, base, contemptible, floccinaucinihilipilificatious, foolish, for the birds, futile

7. engineeringBeing in the state of neutral equilibrium.
8. obsoleteNot different; matching.

   […] let their heads be sleekly comb’d, their blue coats brush’d and their garters of an indifferent knit

   c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]

   Synonyms: identical, undifferentiated, identical, nondifferent, one and the same, self, selfsame, undifferent

plural indifferents

1. A person who is indifferent or apathetic.

1. obsoleteTo some extent, in some degree (intermediate between very and not at all); moderately, tolerably, fairly.

   The face of the Moon appearing to me to be full of indifferent high mountains.

   1 more example

   Get thee [to] a Nunry, why wouldst thou be a breeder of ſinners, I am my ſelfe indifferent honest, but yet I could accuse mee of ſuch things, that it were better my Mother had not bourne mee […]

   c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (Second Quarto), London: […] I[ames] R[oberts] for N[icholas] L[ing] […], published 1604, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], signature G3, verso

   Synonyms: acceptably, adequately, averagely, fairly, halfway, in a way, mackly, moderately

2. obsoleteWithout distinction or preference for some over others.

   Newton. My Maſters, you that be the chiefeſt of the rout, The King intreats you kindly here by me, To come and ſpeake with him a word or two. Iacke Straw. Sirra, if the King would any thinge with vs, Tell him the way is indifferent to meete vs. Newton. You are too many to be talkt with all, […]

   1593, anonymous author, The Life and Death of Iacke Straw […], →OCLC, Act III