standoffish

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

She describes herself as “prickly and standoffish, selectively extroverted, largely humorless.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2025

He also knew his status - it was one of the reasons why he could appear standoffish to those he didn't know.

From BBC • Oct. 21, 2023

Over the course of seven years, we saw them morph from standoffish children — often bullied because of the complexion of their skin — to two young, confident leaders.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 4, 2023

At a 1988 talk, the journalist Paul Goldberger asked Portman about the standoffish design of his Times Square Marriott Marquis.

From Slate • Jul. 28, 2023

A family of them now reside in the New York Museum of Natural History, dead and stuffed, with standoffish glass eyes.

From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver