When should you use 'disinterested' vs. 'uninterested'? | | Despite their similarities, these words are not synonyms. Discover why you might be using "disinterested" incorrectly. | |  | Rachel Gresh |
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| |  | | F or 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." |
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Emoji Decoded | |  | | Owl | | | Meaning: Commonly used to indicate wisdom, rather than as a reference to the actual bird.
Evolution: The Apple emoji and most other current versions display a brown owl, but before 2019, Microsoft displayed a barn owl, and Samsung displayed a cartoonish purple owl. The rapper Drake has a well-known affinity for the bird, and the emoji is often used by his fans.
Usage: [Caption on a reel showing off an outfit:] 🦉🔥🦉Drake concert fit check 🦉🔥🦉 #concertfit #drake #drakefans |
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| | Owl | | | Meaning: Commonly used to indicate wisdom, rather than as a reference to the actual bird.
Evolution: The Apple emoji and most other current versions display a brown owl, but before 2019, Microsoft displayed a barn owl, and Samsung displayed a cartoonish purple owl. The rapper Drake has a well-known affinity for the bird, and the emoji is often used by his fans.
Usage: [Caption on a reel showing off an outfit:] 🦉🔥🦉Drake concert fit check 🦉🔥🦉 #concertfit #drake #drakefans |
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Have you read? | |  | | Triburbia | | | | The Manhattan neighborhood Tribeca has gone through many permutations, and Greenfield's novel hits on the specific weirdness of the 1990s. It's a wealthy neighborhood, but as in the rest of the city, people of different backgrounds must coexist. Over the course of a year, we follow various neighbors — including artists, gangsters, and devoted dads — through their trials in this slice-of-life masterpiece. | | | | Julia Rittenberg, Word Smarts Writer | | | | We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. |
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| | Triburbia | | | | The Manhattan neighborhood Tribeca has gone through many permutations, and Greenfield's novel hits on the specific weirdness of the 1990s. It's a wealthy neighborhood, but as in the rest of the city, people of different backgrounds must coexist. Over the course of a year, we follow various neighbors — including artists, gangsters, and devoted dads — through their trials in this slice-of-life masterpiece. | | | | Julia Rittenberg, Word Smarts Writer | | | | We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. |
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