adjective

disinterested

dihs-IHNT-rihs-tihd

Disinterested (adjective) means having no personal stake in an outcome, and therefore able to judge it fairly. Example: “They asked a disinterested third party to referee the dispute.”

adjective

Having no personal stake in an outcome, and therefore able to judge it fairly.

"They asked a disinterested third party to referee the dispute."

"A judge is expected to remain disinterested in the cases they hear."

Not interested; bored or indifferent (a common but disputed use, treated by many as a mix-up with uninterested).

"He seemed completely disinterested in the meeting, checking his phone the whole time."

How to use disinterested

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishStrictly, "impartial" — having nothing personally to gain either way. Informally it also gets used to mean "not interested," which sticklers consider a mistake.

Common mistake

Careful writers keep disinterested (impartial) separate from uninterested (bored/not caring), even though everyday usage blurs the two.

Easily confused with

uninterested →

Common pairings

disinterested observer disinterested party disinterested advice

Word forms

more disinterested comparative, most disinterested superlative

Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.

Test yourself on “disinterested” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

They asked a _____ third party to referee the dispute.

Etymology

From disinterest ("to make impartial") plus -ed, or directly from dis- + interested.

Rhymes for disinterested

vested rested invested arrested detested untested requested congested contested interested uninterested

See all rhymes for disinterested →

Frequently asked questions

What does “disinterested” mean?

The word “disinterested” means having no personal stake in an outcome, and therefore able to judge it fairly. In plain terms, strictly, "impartial" — having nothing personally to gain either way. Informally it also gets used to mean "not interested," which sticklers consider a mistake.

How do you pronounce “disinterested”?

“Disinterested” is pronounced dihs-IHNT-rihs-tihd (/dɪsˈɪnt(ə)ɹəstəd/ in IPA).

How do you use “disinterested” in a sentence?

Here is “disinterested” used in a sentence: “They asked a disinterested third party to referee the dispute.”

What part of speech is “disinterested”?

“Disinterested” is an adjective.

How many meanings does “disinterested” have?

“Disinterested” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: having no personal stake in an outcome, and therefore able to judge it fairly.