Disinterested vs. Uninterested

Many English speakers confuse “disinterested” and “uninterested”. In careful English, they have very different meanings. (In casual speech, some people use disinterested to mean “not interested”, but many readers see this as a mistake.)

Disinterested

Disinterested means neutral or impartial. A disinterested person has no personal advantage to gain. This is the word to use when talking about fairness or objectivity.

• The judge must remain disinterested during the trial.
• We need a disinterested opinion from someone who’s not involved.
• A referee should be disinterested, not supporting either team.

Uninterested

Uninterested means not interested or bored. Use it when someone doesn't care or shows no curiosity.

• She seemed uninterested in the movie and kept checking her phone.
• He’s uninterested in politics.
• If students are uninterested, the lesson won’t work.