standoffish
9
7.1
- adjective
- /ˌstændˈɔfɪʃ/
:
distante
- Many people found him standoffish because he preferred reading in the corner to socializing.
So I kept myself standoffish for a minute and for for a reason.
- So I kept myself standoffish for a minute and for for a reason.
- You're ignoring the fact that he just seems standoffish.
- But do you think that do you get feedback from guys that you're like intimidating and kind of standoffish?
- I think I read Joe Torre something in his book about you being his bad teammate or like when you got to a team like you were kind of standoffish.
- I would say also that the minimalist is not standoffish, but the minimalist is flexible enough to have room in his or her life for people that love things, right?
- But it was also the thing that was standoffish, too.
- That state of consciousness was what Hegel was calling skepticism and skepticism wasn't just a sort of standoffish.
Examples
-
Note, the new roommate was standoffish before L's friend came over.
Blog text (27) -
Despite her talent, she always seemed standoffish at parties, avoiding conversations and mingling.
-
But now I know it's just your, like, standoffish personality, you know?
-
And so they were a little standoffish.
Academic text (2004) -
When he first hit town just after the war, everyone was terribly standoffish.
-
My fiance got really quiet and was kind of standoffish the rest of the night.
-
People are more standoffish and reserved and into their own families, friends, and cliques.
Blog text (11) -
"So," Savannah said, "you're not so standoffish as you were the other day."
Fiction book (1997) -
The children were standoffish at first, and Trina, eleven, conscientiously refrained from calling him Dad.
Fiction book (1996) -
(Lily-Milly was a standoffish child who wouldn't even hug you on your birthday.)
Fiction book (1991)
Synonyms
61
4.9
Not friendly or warm, behaving in a quiet, cold way
34
6.3
Not friendly and distant, not joining in with other people
27
5.5
A person who is not affected by personal feelings and shows little emotion
5
8.4
A person who does not speak much and seems reserved
3
6.6
Not friendly and hard to talk to so people avoid them
1
7.7
Not wanting to feel close to others because it causes anxiety
1
8.2
Not friendly and avoids talking to other people
Not talking much and not showing strong feelings
Not willing to show feelings or talk much
Someone who is quiet and prefers to be alone instead of being with others
Antonyms
How Friendly
Surface Forms
Morphology
standoffish = standoff (transparent) = standoff + ish
The adjective is a straightforward formation from the noun/phrase 'standoff' meaning keeping at a distance plus the adjectival suffix '-ish', yielding 'aloof' which learners can infer from the base.
Etymology
Standoffish comes from the phrase stand off ('to stay away' or 'keep distance') plus the ending -ish (meaning 'somewhat'). So a standoffish person keeps a clear distance and seems 'not friendly' or 'distant'.