offhandedness
- noun
- /ˌɔfˈhændɪdnəs/
:
desdén
- His offhandedness in answering the question suggested he had not prepared for the presentation.
Examples
-
She approached the situation with an offhandedness that left her colleagues feeling disregarded.
-
Yet in its very offhandedness, it is symptomatic of more general assumptions and hints at a broader problem in the field.
Academic text (2011) -
"Always, he offered his comments good-naturedly, with a disarming, just-a-joke offhandedness.
Fiction book (2001) -
His offhandedness during the meeting made it clear that he wasn't very concerned about the project's future.
Synonyms
12
1.6
Rude behavior that breaks normal social rules
7
8.1
Rude behavior or remarks that show a lack of respect
Being rude and not polite to other people
Rude actions that show a lack of politeness
Antonyms
How Unprepared
18
5.2
2
5.8
16
2.8
3
3.7
37
3.8
Surface Forms
Morphology
offhandedness = offhanded (transparent) = offhand + ed + ness
Formed from the adjective 'offhanded' (offhand + -ed) plus the noun-forming suffix '-ness', directly meaning the quality of being offhand.
Etymology
Offhandedness comes from offhand plus -ness. A helpful way to remember offhand is to imagine someone answering with their 'hand off'—not ready or using notes—so quick and casual, and that's why offhandedness means being casual and not prepared.