stand-offish

A new colleague seems stand-offish during the team meeting.

Definition

Adjective: Reserving or aloof in manner; tending to keep one's distance from others; not friendly or approachable.

Usage Examples

• (She kept a cold, distant demeanor.)
• (His aloofness hindered collaboration.)
• (Do not act coldly or distantly.)

Advanced Usage

• "to give someone the cold shoulder" (related idiom): to treat someone with deliberate unfriendliness.
  • After the argument, she gave him a stand-offish look and turned away. (She expressed aloofness in her gaze.)

Variants and Related Words

• Stand-offishly (adverb): in a reserved or aloof manner.
  • He stand-offishly declined the invitation to join the conversation. (He refused in a distant way.)
• Stand-offishness (noun): the quality of being aloof or unfriendly.
  • Her stand-offishness was mistaken for arrogance. (Her aloof demeanor was misinterpreted.)

Synonyms

• Aloof: distant in manner; not friendly.
• Reserved: slow to reveal emotion or opinions.
• Distant: not warm or close in relationship.
• Unapproachable: difficult to talk to or get close to.

Antonyms

• Friendly: warm and approachable.
• Outgoing: sociable and eager to interact.
• Open: willing to share and connect with others.

Related Idioms

• Keep someone at arm's length: to avoid becoming too friendly or intimate.
  • He keeps everyone at arm's length, always appearing stand-offish. (He maintains a deliberate distance.)
• Cold fish: a person who is unfriendly and shows little emotion.
  • She's a cold fish; her stand-offish manner puts people off. (Her aloofness makes her seem emotionless.)