aloofness
noun
aloof·ness
ə-ˈlüf-nəs 
: the quality or state of being aloof or emotionally distant
Her aloofness … did not endear her to the rest of the company …—
Marybeth Kerrigan
Marybeth Kerrigan… there was an aloofness in him which the boys and I could never quite bridge.—Mildred D. Taylor
Mildred D. TaylorHis aloofness was … born more of insecurity than of arrogance …—David Cannadine
David Cannadine… was respected for his military tenacity and his surprising aloofness from party favoritism.—Simon Schama
Simon SchamaExamples of aloofness in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Hogan was known for his intense focus, privacy, and aloofness.
—Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 May 2025
In this case, those patterns would appear to stretch back to childhood, as Dillane plays Mike as an overgrown kid — one entombed by the insouciant aloofness of someone who’s never quite understood the connection between actions and their consequences.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 17 May 2025
Indeed, the Muslim Brotherhood’s behavior in the last two and a half years bears the imprint of a mentality forged under siege, marked by secrecy and aloofness from outsiders, an acute sensitivity to real and imagined threats, and a tendency to view politics as a zero-sum game.
—Carrie Rosefsky Wickham, Foreign Affairs, 11 July 2013
His aloofness has extended even to those who find common cause with him, like Representative Emanuel Cleaver II, a Democrat and fellow Missourian who took to social media to concur with Mr. Hawley’s support for improved rural mail delivery and for banning stock trading for members of Congress.
—Robert Draper, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
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Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 May 2025
In this case, those patterns would appear to stretch back to childhood, as Dillane plays Mike as an overgrown kid — one entombed by the insouciant aloofness of someone who’s never quite understood the connection between actions and their consequences.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 17 May 2025
Indeed, the Muslim Brotherhood’s behavior in the last two and a half years bears the imprint of a mentality forged under siege, marked by secrecy and aloofness from outsiders, an acute sensitivity to real and imagined threats, and a tendency to view politics as a zero-sum game.
—Carrie Rosefsky Wickham, Foreign Affairs, 11 July 2013
His aloofness has extended even to those who find common cause with him, like Representative Emanuel Cleaver II, a Democrat and fellow Missourian who took to social media to concur with Mr. Hawley’s support for improved rural mail delivery and for banning stock trading for members of Congress.
—Robert Draper, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for aloofness
Cite this Entry
“Aloofness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aloofness. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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