Indifference often masks deeper feelings or disinterest. This post explores 20 idioms that vividly express various aspects of indifference, providing a colorful way to describe someone’s lack of concern or interest in situations, people, or outcomes.
Idioms That Describe Indifference
1. Couldn’t care less
Meaning: Completely uninterested.
Example: He couldn’t care less about the rules.
2. Cold fish
Meaning: Emotionally distant and unresponsive.
Example: She’s such a cold fish at parties.
3. Wash one’s hands of
Meaning: To disclaim responsibility or interest.
Example: He washed his hands of that chaos.
4. Turn a blind eye
Meaning: To ignore intentionally.
Example: She turned a blind eye to the mischief.
5. Let the chips fall where they may
Meaning: To be unconcerned about consequences.
Example: He lets the chips fall where they may.
6. Not give a hoot
Meaning: To show no interest or concern.
Example: They don’t give a hoot about decorum.
7. Not lose any sleep over
Meaning: Not to be worried or troubled.
Example: She won’t lose sleep over such trifles.
8. Nothing to write home about
Meaning: Not very significant or exciting.
Example: The show was nothing to write home about.
9. Leave someone cold
Meaning: To be emotionally unmoving or unimpressive.
Example: The movie left me completely cold.
10. Like watching paint dry
Meaning: Extremely boring.
Example: The lecture was like watching paint dry.
11. Have bigger fish to fry
Meaning: To have more important matters to attend to.
Example: He has bigger fish to fry than gossip.
12. Not bat an eyelid
Meaning: Show no emotional reaction.
Example: She didn’t bat an eyelid during the scandal.
13. Not one’s problem
Meaning: Not one’s concern or responsibility.
Example: That’s not my problem, he declared.
14. Take it or leave it
Meaning: Accept or reject the offer completely.
Example: The deal is a take it or leave it.
15. Go with the flow
Meaning: To be passive or unresisting.
Example: Just go with the flow at the meeting.
16. It’s all the same to me
Meaning: No preference or particular interest.
Example: Choose any; it’s all the same to me.
17. What’s it to me?
Meaning: Why should I be concerned?
Example: What’s it to me if they leave?
18. Tune out
Meaning: To stop listening or paying attention.
Example: He tuned out during the long speech.
19. In one ear and out the other
Meaning: Heard but immediately forgotten.
Example: His advice went in one ear and out the other.
20. Shrug off
Meaning: To dismiss or minimize importance.
Example: She shrugged off the criticism easily.
