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 “not having the mind or feelings engaged,”  “disinterested” is a bit more nuanced. It means “free from selfish motive or interest,” as in, “A disinterested third-party must stand as a witness.” Here, the prefix “dis-” means “apart from” or “away from.” However, “dis-” can sometimes mean “the opposite of,” as in “dislike.” This alternate usage could be why “disinterested” is often misused to mean “not interested.”

These terms have been intertwined since they entered English in the 17th century. Back then, “disinterested” meant “not interested,” and “uninterested” meant “unbiased” — the reverse of their modern meanings. Why the switch? The French word desinteresse, meaning “impartial,” was first translated into English as “uninterested.” Shortly after, “disinterested” came into use with the meaning of “not concerned.” By the late 18th century, their meanings had swapped, as the prefix “un-” became a common way to express the opposite of something, and “disinterested” aligned more closely with the original French spelling and sense of neutrality.

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Here’s a mnemonic to help you remember the difference: “Disinterested” adds an “i” in the prefix, like the “i” in “impartial,” so a disinterested person is impartial, while an uninterested person just doesn’t care.