aloofness
noun
aloof·ness
ə-ˈlüf-nəs 
: the quality or state of being aloof or emotionally distant
Her aloofness … did not endear her to the rest of the company …—
Marybeth Kerrigan
Marybeth Kerrigan… there was an aloofness in him which the boys and I could never quite bridge.—Mildred D. Taylor
Mildred D. TaylorHis aloofness was … born more of insecurity than of arrogance …—David Cannadine
David Cannadine… was respected for his military tenacity and his surprising aloofness from party favoritism.—Simon Schama
Simon SchamaExamples of aloofness in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
His aloofness has extended even to those who find common cause with him, like Representative Emanuel Cleaver II, a Democrat and fellow Missourian who took to social media to concur with Mr. Hawley’s support for improved rural mail delivery and for banning stock trading for members of Congress.
—Robert Draper, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
In the novel, the moneyed and prideful Darcy’s aloofness betrays his uncertainty over whether to consort with those of lower station and lesser breeding.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025
Nations that had spent centuries calculating the power relationships in their own regions were slow to appreciate the impact of this distant deus ex machina, which, after long periods of indifference and aloofness, could suddenly swoop in and transform the balance of power.
—Robert Kagan, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2021
The 52-year-old who grew up in privilege in San Diego, played high school golf with Phil Mickelson and graduated from Cal Poly before moving to Modesto to sell fertilizer for a living, addresses a character trait the media often seized upon and jurors found off-putting: aloofness.
—Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aloofness
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Robert Draper, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
In the novel, the moneyed and prideful Darcy’s aloofness betrays his uncertainty over whether to consort with those of lower station and lesser breeding.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025
Nations that had spent centuries calculating the power relationships in their own regions were slow to appreciate the impact of this distant deus ex machina, which, after long periods of indifference and aloofness, could suddenly swoop in and transform the balance of power.
—Robert Kagan, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2021
The 52-year-old who grew up in privilege in San Diego, played high school golf with Phil Mickelson and graduated from Cal Poly before moving to Modesto to sell fertilizer for a living, addresses a character trait the media often seized upon and jurors found off-putting: aloofness.
—Julia Prodis Sulek, Mercury News, 25 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aloofness
Cite this Entry
“Aloofness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aloofness. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
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