Dispassionate    (pronounced dis-pash-uh-nit) adjective


Definition

free from or not affected by passion, emotion, or bias; not influenced by strong emotion or personal feeling; impartial; objective.

Main Example

  • As predicted by most legal scholars, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor was the swing vote when the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in favor of the campaign finance law last month. Of the nine justices, O'Connor is regarded by analysts as being the most dispassionate because, in their opinion, she most often votes based purely on the facts of a case.

    Workplace Examples

  • You ought to read this report from Ira. It's been written very dispassionately and, in it, he readily accepts blame for the fiasco.

  • Now, don't expect Mary to give you a highly objective, unbiased and dispassionate account of that plant accident. Remember, she is in public relations, and PR's job is to make the company look good!

    Other Examples

  • chiding some employees, your saying: "I'm afraid many of you are not being thorough and dispassionate in your reviews and analyses. There is too much protecting of one's turf and getting hung up on personal gains and losses."

  • your having a hard time looking at an emotionally-charged issue in a dispassionate way; someone much respected for his detached and dispassionate approach to problem solving

  • when mulling over major restructurings, CEOs frequently hiring disinterested parties such as outside consultants because they are more likely to make cold and dispassionate recommendations on what is in the companies' best interests

  • during their trials for war crimes in Bosnia, some Serbian military officers showing no remorse and speaking dispassionately about the executions they carried out

    © 2004 V.J. Singal

    This Month's Other Words

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