indifferently

Indifferently is the adverb form of indifferent, used to describe action done without interest, concern, or enthusiasm. It can express emotional detachment, nonchalance, or a lack of preference. In some contexts it can also convey impartiality, though that sense is rarer in everyday usage.

Usage examples help illustrate nuance. For example, "He listened indifferently to the lecture" suggests a lack of engagement, while "She shrugged indifferently and walked away" signals nonchalance. In formal writing, indifferently can signal a neutral, uncommitted stance, but in colloquial use it often carries a negative nuance of apathy.

Etymology traces indifferently to indifferent + -ly. The form appears in Middle English as indifferently, from Old French indifférent, and ultimately from Latin indifferentem meaning "not differing," from in- "not" + differentem "differentiated." The sense grew to cover both emotional detachment and a neutral, impartial stance.

Related terms include indifference (the noun), indifferent (the adjective), apathy, nonchalance, and impartiality. Phrases such as indifferent to or indifferent toward describe a lack of concern or preference, while in some contexts indifference can also imply a measured or nonadvocative stance.

Overall, indifferently carries a core meaning of doing or existing without strong feeling, preference, or bias, with connotations that vary from neutral detachment to negative apathy depending on context and tone.