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Prepositions after adjectives

Uninterested in, about, by, or with?

Uninterested is normally followed by in. Other prepositions are uncommon or belong to different sentence structures.

Quick answer

Which preposition follows uninterested?

Use uninterested in for topics, activities, people, or ideas that do not attract attention. About, by, and with are usually not standard complements after uninterested.

She is uninterested in politics.
The children seemed uninterested in the game.
He sounded uninterested in our proposal.
Investors remained uninterested in the project.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
uninterested in + topic

Lacking interest in a subject

Use in with subjects, hobbies, or activities.

I am uninterested in celebrity news.
They appeared uninterested in sports.
2
uninterested in + person or thing

Showing lack of attraction or concern

Use in for people, offers, products, or opportunities.

She seemed uninterested in the job.
He is uninterested in meeting new clients.
3
disinterested in + topic

Comparing a related adjective

Disinterested often means impartial rather than bored, though some speakers also use it for lack of interest.

A judge should remain disinterested in personal gain.
The reporter stayed disinterested in the dispute.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
uninterested in
She is uninterested in fashion.
not interested or not engaged
uninterested about
He seemed uninterested about the discussion.
generally nonstandard; in is preferred
uninterested by
The audience was uninterested by the lecture.
awkward and uncommon; not the normal pattern
uninterested with
She is uninterested with the offer.
nonstandard in modern English
disinterested in
The mediator remained disinterested in the argument.
impartial rather than personally involved

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using about after uninterested

English normally uses in after uninterested.

✕ She is uninterested about art. ✓ She is uninterested in art.

Using with after uninterested

With is not a standard complement for uninterested.

✕ He was uninterested with the proposal. ✓ He was uninterested in the proposal.

Using by after uninterested

By is awkward here and not idiomatic in most contexts.

✕ They were uninterested by the speech. ✓ They were uninterested in the speech.

Confusing uninterested and disinterested

Disinterested often means impartial, not bored.

✓ A referee should be disinterested in the outcome.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. She is uninterested ___ social media.
2. Which expression is generally nonstandard?
3. A good judge should remain ___ the case outcome.

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Frequently asked questions

Is uninterested in the correct form?

Yes. It is the standard and natural pattern in modern English.

Can I say uninterested about?

It is generally considered nonstandard. Use uninterested in instead.

What is the difference between uninterested and disinterested?

Uninterested means not interested. Disinterested usually means impartial or unbiased.

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