When Should You Use ‘Disinterested’ vs. ‘Uninterested’?
For 25 years, Judge Judy reigned as TV's most famous courtroom reality star, presiding over small-claims cases with a hardball approach to her sentencing. Like any good arbitrator, Judge Judy was never uninterested, but she did remain disinterested. The courtroom context highlights the differences between these seemingly similar words. "Uninterested"
means "not interested" — something Judge Judy certainly was not. However, "disinterested" means "unbiased," which is a key characteristic of her success. Although these two terms are often used interchangeably, they have distinct meanings and should be used appropriately. While "uninterested" conveys the commonly used meaning of "not interested" or...
