An adjective for someone who doesn't really care about me

Question

There is a man who projects an attitude of "the things you like are so boring." He isn't really mean about it. He just doesn't care about things that are important to me. What words could I use to describe him?

Answer 1

Cavalier comes to mind, especially if he seems to consider himself better than you.

Showing a lack of proper concern; offhand:

Etymology:

cavalier (adj.) "disdainful," 1650s,

from cavalier (n.).

Earlier it meant "gallant" (1640s).

cavalier (n.)

1580s, from Italian cavalliere "mounted soldier, knight; gentleman serving as a lady's escort,"

from Late Latin caballarius "horseman," f

rom Vulgar Latin caballus, the common Vulgar Latin word for "horse" (and source of Italian cavallo, French cheval, Spanish caballo, Irish capall, Welsh ceffyl), displacing Latin equus (see equine).

Sense advanced in 17c. to "knight," then "courtly gentleman" (but also, pejoratively, "swaggerer"), which led to the adjectival senses, especially "disdainful" (1650s). Meaning "Royalist adherent of Charles I" is from 1641. Meaning "one who devotes himself solely to attendance on a lady" is from 1817, roughly translating Italian cavaliere-servente. In classical Latin caballus was "work horse, pack horse," sometimes, disdainfully, "hack, nag." "Not a native Lat. word (as the second -a- would show), though the source of the borrowing is uncertain" [Tucker]. Perhaps from some Balkan or Anatolian language, and meaning, originally, "gelding." The same source is thought to have yielded Old Church Slavonic kobyla.

The progression of meaning from gallant, a possible opposite of this man's attitude, to disdainful, a synonym of cavalier, reflects the class tensions that grew between the aristocracy and the common man during the Age of Enlightenment. Since he

"isn't really mean about it"

this dual implication may capture the essence of débonaire disdain or putting on airs (OED air 2.1).

Answer 2

He's indifferent to your concerns.

(Once upon a time we could use insensitive here while remaining relatively neutral, but the fact that people generally don't like other people being insensitive to them led it to acquire a strongly negative nuance).

Answer 3

Nonchalant

Google definition:

adjective
(of a person or manner) feeling or appearing casually calm and relaxed; not displaying anxiety, interest, or enthusiasm.
"she gave a nonchalant shrug"

Answer 4

"Uninterested" can be used as a general description of an individual, without reference to any specific topic of potential interest.

And "ennuyé" is a useful French word which has acquired some currency in English (cp. "ingénue"); it describes someone affected by "ennui", a condition which indicates a more general and profound level of boredom than the English word "bored".

Or how about "dismissive"?

Answer 5

Apathetic or passive? http://www.thesaurus.com/browse/apathetic

I think apathetic fits the most.

Answer 6

Callous is a great word for someone who does not consider your feelings.

Answer 7

There are 2 words that most appeal to me regarding this annoying attitude -especially from students when I'm in the middle of a passionate lecture: insouciant and phlegmatic (as opposed to phlegmish which is spelled Flemish). I prefer phlegmatic also because it conurs up its origin in the yellowish color of a person's complexion when acting with such insulting indifference.

Answer 8

disinterested, apathetic adjective: Describes a noun or pronoun--for example, "a tall girl," "an interesting book," "a big house."

Answer 9

From the OED

haughty /ˈhɔːti/

Arrogantly superior and disdainful

a look of haughty disdain

a haughty British aristocrat

Answer 10

blasé

/bläˈzā/ Pronunciation

Unimpressed or indifferent to something because one has experienced or seen it so often before.

He is quite blasé about the fact that 2015 is the year where Back to the Future happens in the first movie.

Answer 11

uninspired

1. Characterized by a lack of excitement or liveliness; unexciting or uninteresting: a team playing uninspired baseball. See Synonyms at dull.

2. Lacking or done without inspiration or enthusiasm: a competent but uninspired student.

• He is uninspired by you.

• He finds you utterly uninspiring.

Answer 12

This man sounds quite condescending.

:Having or showing a feeling of patronizing superiority.

Answer 13

What you seem to be saying sounds more, to me, like one of:

Aloof (Page: 42)

A*loof", adv. [Pref. a- + loof, fr. D. loef luff, and so meaning, as a nautical word, to the windward. See Loof, Luff.]

1. At or from a distance, but within view, or at a small distance; apart; away.

   Our palace stood aloof from streets. Dryden.

2. Without sympathy; unfavorably.

   To make the Bible as from the hand of God, and then to look at it aloof and with caution, is the worst of all impieties. I. Taylor.

Distant (Page: 434)

Dis"tant (?), a. [F., fr. L. distans, -antis, p. pr. of distare to stand apart, be separate or distant; dis- + stare to stand. See Stand.] ... 3. Reserved or repelling in manners; cold; not cordial; somewhat haughty; as, a distant manner. He passed me with a distant bow. Goldsmith.

Disinterested (Page: 426)

Disin"terest*ed, a. [Cf. Disinteressed.] Not influenced by regard to personal interest or advantage; free from selfish motive; having no relation of interest or feeling; not biased or prejudiced; as, a disinterested decision or judge.

The happiness of disinterested sacrifices. Channing.

Syn. -- Unbiased; impartial; uninterested; indifferent.

(Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913))

"Disinterested" in the sense of having no relation of interest or feeling applies. I prefer "aloof".