If you accuse someone of being indifferentto something, you mean that they have a complete lack of interest in it.
People have become indifferent to the suffering of others. [+ to]
Synonyms: unconcerned, distant, detached, cold More Synonyms of indifferent
indifferentlyadverb [ADVERB after verb]
'Not that it matters,' said Tench indifferently.
2. adjective
If you describe something or someone as indifferent, you mean that their standard or quality is not very good, and often quite bad.
She had starred in several very indifferent movies.
Much of the food we eat is of very poor or indifferent quality.
Synonyms: mediocre, middling, average, fair More Synonyms of indifferent
indifferentlyadverb [ADVERB with verb]
...an eight-year-old girl who reads tolerably and writes indifferently.
More Synonyms of indifferent
indifferent in British English
(ɪnˈdɪfrənt, -fərənt)
adjective
1. (often foll by to)
showing no care or concern; uninterested
he was indifferent to my pleas
2.
unimportant; immaterial
3.
a.
of only average or moderate size, extent, quality, etc
b.
not at all good; poor
4.
showing or having no preferences; impartial
5. biology
a.
(of cells or tissues) not differentiated or specialized
b.
(of a species) not found in any particular community
Derived forms
indifferently (inˈdifferently)
adverb
Word origin
C14: from Latin indifferēns making no distinction
indifferent in American English
(ɪnˈdɪfərənt; ɪnˈdɪfrənt)
adjective
1.
having or showing no partiality, bias, or preference; neutral
2.
having or showing no interest, concern, or feeling; uninterested, apathetic, or unmoved
3.
of no consequence or importance; immaterial
4.
not particularly good or bad, large or small, right or wrong, etc.; fair, average, etc.
5.
not really good; rather poor or bad
6.
neutral in quality, as a chemical, magnet, etc.; inactive
chiefly in scientific use
7.
capable of developing in various ways, as the cells of an embryo that are not yet specialized; undifferentiated
SYNONYMY NOTE: indifferent implies either apathy or neutrality, esp. with reference to choice [to remain indifferent in a dispute]; unconcerned implies a lack of concern, solicitude, or anxiety, as because of callousness, ingenuousness,etc. [to remain unconcerned in a time of danger]; incurious suggests a lack of interest or curiosity [incurious about the details]; detached implies an impartiality or aloofness resulting from a lack of emotional involvementin a situation [he viewed the struggle with detached interest]; disinterested strictly implies a commendable impartiality resulting from a lack of selfish motiveor desire for personal gain [a disinterested journalist], but it is now often used colloquially to mean not interested, or indifferent
Derived forms
indifferently (inˈdifferently)
adverb
Word origin
OFr < L indifferens: see in-2 & different
Examples of 'indifferent' in a sentence
indifferent
Shareholders are fighting high rewards for poor or indifferent performance.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The indifferent form of the stable is the only negative.
The Sun (2012)
We found the food indifferent and the service appalling.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
It came after an indifferent showing in their group.
The Sun (2016)
The good days have been regularly interspersed with indifferent or downright bad ones.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
They become indifferent to conventional pleasures such as walking the dog or watching the sun set.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
His usual bounce had gone and his scoring was a mixed bag of the good and the indifferent.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The young captain is a lively talker and has played his way through a period of indifferent form in recent weeks.
The Sun (2006)
It would go some way to explaining his indifferent form and dreadful rapport with the thousands who turned up to watch.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
No other sport offers this unique opportunity to young and old, good and indifferent players.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
This way good, bad and indifferent teachers will be spread out.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
They represent the same subjective views of good, bad and indifferent.
Joanna Blythman Bad Food Britain (2006)
The good, the bad and the indifferent all climb the ladder at much the same pace.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
They have had a terrible time through the winter because of the rain there, and their quality has been indifferent.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The food was fairly indifferent.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
Food was of indifferent quality.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
They may suffer one season of indifferent form, but this is soon corrected so as not to falter a second time.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Audiences appear indifferent to the quality of the performance or the film, preferring to patronise blindly any film featuring their favourite star.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Poor topping, indifferent apples and strawberries - just mediocre.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Isn't it a warning sign that you've become indifferent?
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
It will represent a big chance for Foster to redeem himself after some indifferent form for United.
The Sun (2009)
When a manager is told that his performance is indifferent or poor, it's not something he is going to take lightly.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Just when it looked as though the world had become indifferent to the moral issues surrounding fur, two Hollywood hitters have apologised for wearing it.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
In other languages
indifferent
British English: indifferent ADJECTIVE
Someone who is indifferentto something is not at all interested in it.
People have become indifferent to the suffering of others.
American English: indifferent
Brazilian Portuguese: indiferente
Chinese: 漠不关心的
European Spanish: indiferente
French: indifférent
German: gleichgültig
Italian: indifferente
Japanese: 無関心な
Korean: 무관심한
European Portuguese: indiferente
Latin American Spanish: indiferente
Chinese translation of 'indifferent'
indifferent
(ɪnˈdɪfrənt)
adj
(= uninterested) 没(沒)兴(興)趣的 (méi xìngqù de)
(= mediocre) 平庸的 (píngyōng de)
to be indifferent to sth不关(關)心某事 (bù guānxīn mǒushì)
1 (adjective)
Definition
showing no concern or interest
People have become indifferent to the suffering of others.
Synonyms
unconcerned
distant
He's direct and courteous, but distant.
detached
The piece is written in a detached, precise style.
cold
He became cold and unfeeling.
cool
People found her too cool, aloof and arrogant.
regardless
careless
Office workers are notoriously careless about their passwords.
callous
a callous and brutal attack on an old man
aloof
He seemed aloof and detached.
unimpressed
unmoved
She carried on criticizing me in this vein, but I was unmoved.
unsympathetic
an unsympathetic doctor
impervious
uncaring
this uncaring attitude towards the less well off
uninterested
unhelpful and uninterested shop staff
apathetic
Many people feel apathetic about the candidates in both parties.
unresponsive
heedless
She scattered the letters about in her heedless haste.
inattentive
not giving a monkey's (slang)
Opposites
interested
,
concerned
,
keen
,
sensitive
,
eager
,
enthusiastic
,
sympathetic
,
susceptible
,
responsive
,
compassionate
,
avid
2 (adjective)
Definition
of only average standard or quality
She had starred in several indifferent movies.
Synonyms
mediocre
His university record was mediocre.
middling
They enjoyed only middling success until 1963.
average
I was only average academically.
fair
He had a fair command of English.
ordinary
The food here is cheap, but very ordinary.
moderate
The drug offered only moderate improvements.
insignificant
In 1949 it was still a small, insignificant city.
unimportant
It was an unimportant job, and paid very little.
so-so (informal)
Their lunch was only so-so.
immaterial
Whether we like him or not is immaterial.
passable
The meal was passable, but nothing special.
undistinguished
his short and undistinguished career as an art student
uninspired
The script was singularly uninspired.
of no consequence
no great shakes (informal)
The album is no great shakes.
half-pie (New Zealand, informal)
Opposites
fine
,
excellent
,
remarkable
,
first-class
,
exceptional
,
notable
3 (adjective)
Definition
showing or having no preferences
Synonyms
impartial
They offer impartial advice, guidance and information to students.
objective
I would like your objective opinion on this.
neutral
Those who had decided to remain neutral now found themselves forced to take sides.
equitable
the equitable distribution of social wealth
disinterested
Scientists are expected to be impartial and disinterested.
unbiased
The researchers were expected to be unbiased.
dispassionate
We try to be dispassionate about the cases we bring.
uninvolved
nonpartisan
unprejudiced
There must be a few honest and unprejudiced lawyers around.
nonaligned
a meeting of foreign ministers from non-aligned countries
Additional synonyms
in the sense of aloof
Definition
distant or haughty in manner
He seemed aloof and detached.
Synonyms
distant,
cold,
reserved,
cool,
formal,
remote,
forbidding,
detached,
indifferent,
chilly,
unfriendly,
unsympathetic,
uninterested,
haughty,
unresponsive,
supercilious,
unapproachable,
unsociable,
standoffish
in the sense of apathetic
Many people feel apathetic about the candidates in both parties.