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Disinterested vs Disdainful - What's the difference?

disinterested | disdainful | Related terms |

Disinterested is a related term of disdainful.


As adjectives the difference between disinterested and disdainful

is that disinterested is having no stake or interest in the outcome; free of bias, impartial while disdainful is showing contempt or scorn; having a pronounced lack of concern for others viewed as unworthy.

disinterested

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Having no stake or interest in the outcome; free of bias, impartial.
  • * 1791 , (James Boswell), Life of Samuel Johnson :
    • Sir, you have a right to that kind of respect, and are arguing for yourself. I am supporting the principle, and am disinterested in doing it, as I have no such right.
  • * 1919 , , :
    • With his disinterested passion for art, he had a real desire to call the attention of the wise to a talent which was in the highest degree original; [...]
  • *2011 , (Steven Pinker), The Better Angels of Our Nature , Penguin 2012, p. 220:
  • *:People are better off abjuring violence, if everyone else agrees to do so, and vesting authority in a disinterested third party.
  • * '>citation
  • Uninterested, lacking interest.
  • * 1684 , Contempl. State of Man I. x
    • How dis-interested are they in all Worldly matters, since they fling their Wealth and Riches into the Sea.
  • * 1936 , (Djuna Barnes), Nightwood , Faber & Faber 2007, p. 43:
    • Robin took to wandering again, to intermittent travel from which she came back hours, days later, disinterested .
  • * 1967 , Tommy Frazer, The Sun (Baltimore), "A 'Doctor' Of Karate", March 27
    • Those spotted are usually taught so slowly that they grow disinterested and quit.

    Usage notes

    *Leading authorities consider usage of this word with the meaning of uninterested acceptable,

    References

    disdainful

    English

    Adjective

    (en adjective)
  • Showing contempt or scorn; having a pronounced lack of concern for others viewed as unworthy.
    • He was disdainful of those he thought of as the little people. He openly sneered at them. They mocked him behind his back.
    She glimpsed at the people whom she had left behind, and smirked in the most disdainful manner towards them.

    Synonyms

    * despising, scornful, contemptuous

    Antonyms

    * respectful

    Derived terms

    * disdainfully