apathetic
adjective
ap·a·thet·ic
ˌa-pə-ˈthe-tik 
: affected by, characterized by, or displaying apathy : having or showing little or no interest, concern, or emotion
apathetic voters
apathetic indifference
an apathetic attitude/response
It's really easy to feel apathetic about politics and forget how much they affect our daily lives.—
Emily Shwake
Emily ShwakeNFL fans and media members are mostly apathetic toward the exhibition games.—Henry McKenna
Henry McKennaEven with Doppler radar and networks of spotters, many residents of Tornado Alley are surprisingly apathetic.—Warren Faidley
Warren FaidleyShe was listless, apathetic, calm with the calmness of a woman who knows she can suffer no further.—Frank Norris
Frank NorrisChildren or teens who are … depressed and apathetic …—Victoria L. Dunckley
Victoria L. DunckleyPeople with abnormally low levels of thyroid hormones (hypothyroidism) are often listless and apathetic; in fact, the symptoms may look very much like endogenous depression.—Lester Grinspoon et al.
Lester Grinspoon et al.… there is no emotion and she remains apathetic to all around her.—leitrimobserver.ie
leitrimobserver.ie
Did you know?
Discover if You're Apathetic
Apathy, or lack of emotion, is central to Albert Camus's famous novel The Stranger, in which the main character's indifference toward almost everything, including his mother's death, results in his imprisonment. We feel little sympathy for him, and may even feel antipathy, or dislike. The American voter is often called apathetic; of all the industrial democracies, only in America does half the adult population fail to vote in major elections. As you can see, apathetic isn't the opposite of pathetic, even though the a- that it begins with means "not" or "without".
Examples of apathetic in a Sentence
But contrary to popular belief, not all jocks are as apathetic as they are athletic. One such progressive player is Toni Smith, a college basketball player who turned her back on Old Glory every time the national anthem was played before her games last season. In a written statement, she cited America's systemic inequalities as her reason for not saluting the flag.
—Complex, June/July 2003
The disorder is sometimes inherited via a defective gene from one parent, and patients are usually spared signs of the disorder until they reach their fifties. Because the brain-cell loss occurs in parts of the brain that help regulate social behavior, personality changes are the most common manifestations of the illness. Patients tend to become either uninhibited or apathetic.
—Bruce L. Miller, Discover, January 1998
But in cities such as Boston, Cincinnati, Oakland, San Francisco, and Seattle, reformers are trying to recharge an apathetic electorate by taking aim at the very process of voting itself.
—Wilma Rule et al., Ms., September/October 1996
Young people are becoming increasingly apathetic.
the apathetic attitude of the public
Surprisingly, most Americans are apathetic toward this important issue.
Complex, June/July 2003
The disorder is sometimes inherited via a defective gene from one parent, and patients are usually spared signs of the disorder until they reach their fifties. Because the brain-cell loss occurs in parts of the brain that help regulate social behavior, personality changes are the most common manifestations of the illness. Patients tend to become either uninhibited or apathetic.
—Bruce L. Miller, Discover, January 1998
But in cities such as Boston, Cincinnati, Oakland, San Francisco, and Seattle, reformers are trying to recharge an apathetic electorate by taking aim at the very process of voting itself.
—Wilma Rule et al., Ms., September/October 1996
Young people are becoming increasingly apathetic.
the apathetic attitude of the public
Surprisingly, most Americans are apathetic toward this important issue.
Recent Examples on the Web
Failing To Be Inclusive Failing to be inclusive when seeking unique ideas and skills leads to an apathetic and frustrated team.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
Nothing except a white man who willingly admits being apathetic to Black people’s lives and two other white folks who joke around about politics being too serious and divisive.
—Melanie Curry, refinery29.com, 17 Feb. 2025
There will be another 15 minutes of football played — a third of a half of football — but those leaving have no desire to watch anymore of what could fairly be described as apathetic bilge.
—Tim Spiers, The Athletic, 16 Feb. 2025
In each instance, Hartman and Hooks play the Trumps as apathetic tyrants of capitalistic materialism, using both as stand-ins to ridicule the mindless excess of the period.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for apathetic
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Expert Panel®, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
Nothing except a white man who willingly admits being apathetic to Black people’s lives and two other white folks who joke around about politics being too serious and divisive.
—Melanie Curry, refinery29.com, 17 Feb. 2025
There will be another 15 minutes of football played — a third of a half of football — but those leaving have no desire to watch anymore of what could fairly be described as apathetic bilge.
—Tim Spiers, The Athletic, 16 Feb. 2025
In each instance, Hartman and Hooks play the Trumps as apathetic tyrants of capitalistic materialism, using both as stand-ins to ridicule the mindless excess of the period.
—Harrison Richlin, IndieWire, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for apathetic
Articles Related to apathetic
Cite this Entry
“Apathetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/apathetic. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
apathetic
adjective
ap·a·thet·ic
ˌap-ə-ˈthet-ik
: having or showing little or no feeling or interest
Medical Definition
apathetic
adjective
ap·a·thet·ic
ˌap-ə-ˈthet-ik
: having or showing little or no feeling or emotion
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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