disinterested

Everyday

1. Disinterested means fair because you do not gain anything either way; not taking sides. tree →
2. (informal, often thought wrong) Disinterested is also used to mean not interested, bored. tree →

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 →
• We asked a disinterested person to judge the competition. tree →
• Her advice was disinterested; she gained nothing from it. tree →
• The judge must be disinterested in the case. tree →
• He seemed disinterested in the lesson (many say «uninterested» here). tree →
• A disinterested witness has nothing to win or lose. tree →

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».