indifference
B2Neutral (used across formal, academic, business, and everyday contexts)
Definition
Meaning
A lack of interest, concern, or sympathy; a state of being neutral or uncaring.
A quality of being unimportant or unremarkable; mediocrity (e.g., 'an indifference of talent'). Also, impartiality or unbiased lack of preference.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily an uncountable noun. The state it describes is generally negative (apathy), but can be positive when implying impartiality (e.g., judicial indifference). Implies an emotional or evaluative detachment.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant spelling or meaning differences. Slight preference for 'towards' (UK) vs. 'toward' (US) in prepositional use.
Connotations
Identical negative connotation of apathy in both varieties.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
indifference to/toward(s) [something]indifference from [someone]with indifferenceVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A matter of indifference”
- “Shrug with indifference”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Often negative, e.g., 'customer indifference to the new brand is a major concern.'
Academic
Used in psychology, sociology, and political science to describe societal apathy or lack of engagement.
Everyday
Describing personal feelings, e.g., 'He met the news with complete indifference.'
Technical
In thermodynamics, 'the principle of maximum entropy' relates to equilibrium as a state of indifference.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- He **indifferenced** himself from the debate. (Rare/archaic)
American English
- She could not **indifference** the outcome. (Rare/non-standard)
adverb
British English
- He shrugged **indifferently** and walked away.
American English
- 'Suit yourself,' she said **indifferently**.
adjective
British English
- He gave an **indifferent** shrug. / The meal was of **indifferent** quality.
American English
- She was **indifferent** to the proposal. / He played an **indifferent** game.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- She showed no interest; her indifference was clear.
- His indifference to football surprised his friends.
- The government's indifference to the problem angered many people.
- He listened to the argument with an air of total indifference.
- Public indifference towards the election resulted in a historically low turnout.
- Her feigned indifference couldn't hide her true disappointment.
- The committee's benign indifference to procedural irregularities undermined the legitimacy of the process.
- Aesthetes often cultivate an indifference to popular opinion.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the word 'different.' IN-DIFFERENCE is the state of NOT making a difference, NOT caring about the difference.
Conceptual Metaphor
INDIFFERENCE IS COLDNESS / INDIFFERENCE IS A LACK OF MOVEMENT (e.g., 'icy indifference', 'frozen in indifference', 'stony indifference').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'безразличие' (correct) and 'равнодушие' (correct, stronger/moral). Avoid false cognate 'индифферентизм' (indifferentism, a philosophical term).
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a countable noun (e.g., 'an indifference' - usually incorrect). Confusing with 'different' (adjective). Incorrect preposition: 'indifference for' (use 'to/toward(s)').
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the BEST synonym for 'indifference' in the sentence: 'Her indifference to his apologies was heartbreaking.'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not always. In contexts requiring impartiality, like judging or mediating, indifference (in the sense of having no bias) is positive. However, in most social contexts, it implies negative apathy.
Indifference is a lack of *care*; you may know about something but choose not to engage. Ignorance is a lack of *knowledge* about it.
No, the adjective form is 'indifferent'. Using 'indifference' as an adjective is incorrect (e.g., 'an indifference attitude' is wrong).
The most common prepositions are 'to' and 'toward(s)' (e.g., indifference to suffering, indifference toward politics). 'From' is used to indicate the source (e.g., indifference from the management).