[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/disinterested/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [D](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/d/) / disinterested

# disinterested

adjective (disinterested)

«disinterested» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Disinterested means fair because you do not gain anything either way; not taking sides. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disinterested/#m1)
2. (informal, often thought wrong) Disinterested is also used to mean not interested, bored. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disinterested/#m2)

### In the lessons

In law, sport and ethics, a «disinterested judge» or referee is fair and does not support one side. In everyday speech many people use it for «uninterested», which careful writers avoid. Phrases: «a disinterested observer», «disinterested advice».

### Examples

- A referee should be disinterested and fair to both teams. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disinterested/#x1)
- We asked a disinterested person to judge the competition. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disinterested/#x2)
- Her advice was disinterested; she gained nothing from it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disinterested/#x3)
- The judge must be disinterested in the case. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disinterested/#x4)
- He seemed disinterested in the lesson (many say «uninterested» here). [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disinterested/#x5)
- A disinterested witness has nothing to win or lose. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disinterested/#x6)

### Note

Big trap: «disinterested» (fair, not taking sides) vs «uninterested» (bored, not caring). Teachers and exams prefer: «The judge was disinterested; the bored pupil was uninterested». Noun: «disinterest».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «disinterested» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/disinterested/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«disinterested» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/disinterested.html) on Mova free.