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# indifferent

adjective (indifferent; indifferently adv.)

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

## Everyday

1. If you are indifferent to something, you do not care about it or are not interested in it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/indifferent/#m1)
2. Not very good; only ordinary or rather poor: an indifferent meal. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/indifferent/#m2)

### In the lessons

In stories: «he seemed indifferent to the danger», a character who does not care. In reviews and reports (sense 2): «the food was indifferent», «an indifferent player». Often followed by «to»: indifferent to the cold.

### Examples

- The cat was indifferent to the dog barking outside. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/indifferent/#x1)
- Tom seemed indifferent to winning or losing. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/indifferent/#x2)
- How can you be indifferent when your friend is sad? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/indifferent/#x3)
- The hotel was lovely, but the food was indifferent. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/indifferent/#x4)
- He is an indifferent swimmer but a great runner. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/indifferent/#x5)
- She answered in an indifferent voice. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/indifferent/#x6)
- Most people were indifferent to the new rule. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/indifferent/#x7)
- ‘If he did hear me,’ she said, ‘could he remain so cruelly indifferent? [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/I/indifferent/#x8)

### Note

Use «to», not «about», in formal writing: indifferent to praise. Trap: «indifferent» does not mean «different»; it means «not caring» or «so-so». Noun: indifference.

## On Mova

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