indifference

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: in=dif=fer=ence

CIDE DICTIONARY

indifference, n. [L. indifferentia similarity, lack of difference: cf. F. indifférence.].

•  The quality or state of being indifferent, or not making a difference; lack of sufficient importance to constitute a difference; absence of weight; insignificance.  [1913 Webster]
•  Passableness; mediocrity.  [1913 Webster]
•  Impartiality; freedom from prejudice, prepossession, or bias.  [1913 Webster]

  "He . . . is far from such indifference and equity as ought and must be in judges which he saith I assign."  [1913 Webster]
•  Absence of anxiety or interest in respect to what is presented to the mind; unconcernedness; as, entire indifference to all that occurs.  [1913 Webster]

  "Indifference can not but be criminal, when it is conversant about objects which are so far from being of an indifferent nature, that they are highest importance."

Syn. -- Carelessness; negligence; unconcern; apathy; insensibility; coldness; lukewarmness.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

indifference, n.
1 lack of interest or attention.
2 unimportance (a matter of indifference).
3 neutrality.

Etymology

L indifferentia (as INDIFFERENT)

THESAURUS

indifference

Laodiceanism, abandon, abeyance, absentmindedness, abstraction, abulia, acedia, alienation, aloofness, anxiety, anxiety equivalent, anxiety state, apathy, ataraxia, ataraxy, benumbedness, blah, blahs, boredom, callousness, careless abandon, carelessness, casualness, catalepsy, catatonia, catatonic stupor, coldness, comatoseness, compulsion, coolness, cursoriness, deadliness, deathliness, dejection, depression, detachment, disinterest, disinterestedness, dispassion, dispassionateness, disregard, disregardfulness, distraction, dormancy, drowsiness, dullness, easiness, easygoingness, elation, emotionalism, enervation, ennui, entropy, equitability, equitableness, euphoria, evenhandedness, fairishness, fairness, fatigue, flightiness, flippancy, folie du doute, forgetfulness, frivolousness, giddiness, hastiness, heartlessness, heaviness, hebetude, heedlessness, hopelessness, hypochondria, hysteria, hysterics, immateriality, impartiality, impassiveness, impassivity, impotence, imprecision, inadvertence, inadvertency, inanimation, inappetence, inattention, inattentiveness, inconsequence, inconsequentiality, inconsiderableness, inconsiderateness, inconsideration, incuriosity, incuriousness, indevotion, indevoutness, indifferentism, indifferentness, indolence, ineffectuality, inertia, inertness, inferiority, inobservance, insensibility, insignificance, insouciance, intellectual inertia, irrelevance, jadedness, lack of appetite, lack of foresight, lack of interest, lackadaisicalness, lackluster, languidness, languishment, languor, languorousness, lassitude, latency, laxity, laxness, laziness, leniency, lenitude, lentor, lethargicalness, lethargy, levity, lifelessness, lightmindedness, listlessness, littleness, looseness, loosening, lotus-eating, low priority, lukewarm piety, mania, marginality, mediocreness, mediocrity, melancholia, mental distress, middlingness, moderateness, modestness, modesty, negligence, negligibility, neutrality, nonchalance, nonobservance, nonreligiousness, numbness, objectivity, oblivion, obliviousness, obsession, offhandedness, oscitancy, overindulgence, overpermissiveness, passableness, passiveness, passivity, pathological indecisiveness, perfunctoriness, permissiveness, pettiness, phlegm, phlegmaticalness, phlegmaticness, picayune, picayunishness, plucklessness, pococurantism, pokiness, preoccupation, psychalgia, psychomotor disturbance, puniness, recklessness, regardlessness, relaxation, relaxedness, remissness, resignation, resignedness, respectability, satedness, secondariness, shallowness, slackness, sleepiness, slightness, sloppiness, sloth, slothfulness, slowness, sluggishness, smallness, softness, somnolence, sopor, soporifousness, spiritlessness, sprezzatura, spunklessness, stagnancy, stagnation, stasis, stolidity, stupefaction, stupor, superficiality, supineness, suspense, tactlessness, tediousness, thoughtlessness, tic, tolerableness, torpidity, torpidness, torpitude, torpor, triviality, twitching, unalertness, unawareness, unbiasedness, unconcern, unconsciousness, undevoutness, undutifulness, unheedfulness, unimportance, unimpressiveness, uninquisitiveness, unintentiveness, uninterestedness, unmindfulness, unnoteworthiness, unobservance, unopinionatedness, unprejudicedness, unpreparedness, unreadiness, unreligiousness, unresponsiveness, unrestraint, unsolicitousness, unsolicitude, unthinkingness, unwariness, unwatchfulness, vegetation, vis inertiae, weakness, weariness, withdrawal, withdrawnness, world-weariness

ROGET THESAURUS

indifference

Unwillingness

N unwillingness, indisposition, indisposedness, disinclination, aversation, nolleity, nolition, renitence, renitency, reluctance, indifference, backwardness, slowness, want of alacrity, want of readiness, indocility, scrupulousness, scrupulosity, qualms of conscience, twinge of conscience, delicacy, demur, scruple, qualm, shrinking, recoil, hesitation, fastidiousness, averseness, dissent, refusal, unwilling, not in the vein, loth, loath, shy of, disinclined, indisposed, averse, reluctant, not content, adverse, laggard, backward, remiss, slack, slow to, indifferent, scrupulous, squeamish, repugnant, restiff, restive, demurring, unconsenting, involuntary, unwillingly, grudgingly, with a heavy heart, with a bad, with an ill grace, against one's wishes, against one's will, against the grain, sore against one's wishes, sore against one's will, sore against one's grain, invita Minerva, a contre caeur, malgre soi, in spite of one's teeth, in spite of oneself, nolens volens, perforce, under protest, no, not for the world, far be it from me.

Absence of Choice

N absence of choice, no choice, Hobson's choice, first come first served, random selection, necessity, not a pin to choose, any, the first that comes, that or nothing, neutrality, indifference, indecision, arbitrariness, coercion (compulsion), neutral, neuter, indifferent, uninterested, undecided, either, who cares?, what difference does it make?, There's not a dime's worth of difference between t.

Indifference

N indifference, neutrality, coldness, anaphrodisia, unconcern, insouciance, nonchalance, want of interest, want of earnestness, anorexy, anorexia, inappetency, apathy, supineness, disdain, recklessness, inattention, anaphrodisiac, antaphrodisiac, lust-quencher, passion-queller, indifferent, cold, frigid, lukewarm, cool, cool as a cucumber, unconcerned, insouciant, phlegmatic, pococurante, easygoing, devil-may- care, careless, listless, lackadaisical, half-hearted, unambitious, unaspiring, undesirous, unsolicitous, unattracted, aloof, unapproachable, remote, uncaring, unattractive, unalluring, undesired, undesirable, uncared for, unwished, unvalued, all one to, insipid, vain, for aught one cares, Int, never mind, Who cares? whatever you like, whatever, I couldn't care less, I could care less, anything will do, es macht nichts.

Incuriosity

N incuriosity, incuriousness, insouciance, indifference, lack of interest, disinterest, boredom, ennui (weariness), satiety, foreknowledge (foresight), incurious, uninquisitive, indifferent, impassive, uninterested, detached, aloof.