1. Definition & Meaning
Apathy (noun):
A lack of interest, emotion, or concern about something—especially when it would normally deserve attention. People showing apathy may seem indifferent, unconcerned, or emotionally “numb.”
Apathy means you don’t care—even when you maybe should.
2. Pronunciation
- IPA: /ˈæpəθi/
- Breakdown: A-puh-thee
3. Grammatical Formation
| Part of Speech | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | apathy | “Voter apathy is a major problem in elections.” |
Often used with verbs like show, feel, lead to, result from, suffer from.
4. Synonyms
indifference, lack of interest, unconcern, detachment, passivity, lethargy, disinterest
5. Antonyms
enthusiasm, interest, concern, passion, involvement, engagement, care
6. Related Terms
- Indifference: Not caring one way or another.
- Emotional numbness: Feeling emotionally blank or unfeeling.
- Disinterest: Not wanting to participate or be involved.
- Lethargy: Physical and emotional tiredness or lack of motivation.
- Emotional detachment: Pulling away from feelings or people.
7. Common Collocations
- show apathy
- suffer from apathy
- public apathy
- voter apathy
- emotional apathy
- apathy toward change
- general apathy
- overcome apathy
8. Idiomatic Usage & Expressions
- “Couldn’t care less” – Total apathy.
“He couldn’t care less about what others think.”
- “Not give a damn” – Informal and strong way to show apathy.
“She doesn’t give a damn about the consequences.”
- “Shrug it off” – Show no concern.
“He shrugged off the bad news with apathy.”
- “Turn a blind eye” – Deliberately ignore.
“The manager turned a blind eye to the problems.”
9. Sample Sentences
- “The students’ apathy toward learning was troubling to the teacher.”
- “She met his cold apathy with quiet disappointment.”
- “Voter apathy often leads to low turnout in elections.”
- “He showed no apathy during the crisis—only calm action.”
- “General apathy about climate change slows real progress.”