aloof

Meaning

Adv

1. At or from a distance, but within view, or at a small distance; apart; away.
2. Without sympathy; unfavorably.

Adj

Reserved and remote; either physically or emotionally distant; standoffish.

Prep

Away from; clear of.

Synonyms

distant

reserved

apart

standoffish

indifferent

remote

unfriendly

detached

reticent

cold

🥶

cool

🆒

afield

upstage

withdrawn

reluctant

separate

separately

shy

distinct

stand-offish

unapproachable

uncaring

modest

morose

offish

own

particular

pointed

prickly

rejective

removed

retiring

self-effacing

singly

snotty

special

stand-off

taciturn

transcendent

transcendental

ulterior

uncommunicative

unsympathetic

close-minded

further off

arm’s length

repudiative

biggety

strong personality

difficult to overcome

abroad

severaly

afar

arrogant

asunder

cagey

cautious

cloistered

coy

different

disagreeable

disassociation

distantly

distinctive

far

far-off

formal

haughty

highbrow

icy

indrawn

introverted

keep

Pronounced as (IPA)

/əˈluːf/

Etymology

Cognate with Dutch: loef

In summary

From Middle English loof (“weather gage, windward direction”), probably from Middle Dutch (Compare Dutch loef (“the weather side of a ship”)), originally a nautical order to keep the ship's head to the wind, thus to stay clear of a lee-shore or some other quarter, hence the figurative sense of "at a distance, apart".