Meaning & use
aloofness
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Meanings
noununcountable
A cool, distant manner in which a person keeps apart from others and shows little warmth or interest in joining in.
Grammar: No plural and no 'a': her aloofness, not 'an aloofness'.
Patterns
- aloofness from something
- an air of aloofness
Her aloofness at the party made some guests think she disliked them.
The new manager's aloofness kept the team from approaching him with problems.
He kept up a polite aloofness from office gossip.
noununcountableformal
A deliberate refusal to become involved in a dispute, trend or activity.
Grammar: Often followed by 'from' to name what is avoided.
Patterns
- aloofness from something
- maintain aloofness
The country's aloofness from the conflict lasted for decades.
Their aloofness from politics puzzled the neighbours.
The critic maintained a deliberate aloofness from fashionable movements.
Common combinations
- an air of aloofness
- She wore an air of aloofness that few could break through.
- cool aloofness
- His cool aloofness hid a deep shyness.
- maintain aloofness
- The judge maintained her aloofness throughout the trial.
- mistake aloofness for
- People often mistake aloofness for arrogance.
- aloofness from
- The village's aloofness from tourism kept its traditions intact.
Synonyms and how they differ
- detachment
- Detachment is often calm and can be a positive quality, such as in a doctor, while aloofness feels more like social coldness.
- reserve
- Reserve is mild and suggests holding back feelings, whereas aloofness implies actively keeping people at a distance.
- coolness
- Coolness describes a lack of friendliness at a given moment, but aloofness is a steadier trait.
- remoteness
- Remoteness suggests emotional or physical distance, but aloofness is a chosen social stance.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: aloofness or arrogance?
aloofness vs arrogance
Arrogance means feeling superior, whereas aloofness only describes keeping apart, which may come from shyness.
Practice
Many colleagues read his ___ as arrogance, though he was simply very shy.
Choose one answer.
Aloofness is a distant, reserved manner that can be misread as arrogance. Warmth, curiosity and generosity would not be mistaken for arrogance.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “aloofness”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.