blase

IPA/ˈblɑːzeɪ/
KK[blˈez]IPA/blɑːˈzeɪ/

blase — adjective

  • blasepositive
  • blasercomparative
  • blasestsuperlative

1. showing little interest, surprise, or concern because something has become too f

1.adjectiveC2
Definition

showing little interest, surprise, or concern because something has become too familiar or because too much pleasure has made it feel ordinary

Example

After a month of red carpets, Isabela sounded blase about meeting film stars.

sound + blase about repeated glamour

Kian gave a blase shrug when the hotel gave him a free suite.

blase reaction to a luxury perk

Common collocations
  • blase shrug
  • blase attitude
  • sound blase
  • be blase about fame
Synonyms
  • jaded

    stronger in suggesting weariness after too much pleasure or excitement

  • unimpressed

    focuses on the lack of admiration, without always implying long familiarity

  • indifferent

    broader and less tied to repeated exposure or luxury

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

be/look/sound + blase

be + blase + about + noun/gerund

blase + noun

Usage Note

Often follows seem, look, sound, or feel. It usually describes reactions dulled by repeated excitement, luxury, attention, or novelty rather than calm self-control.

Common Mistakes

The nurse stayed blase while cleaning the wound.
The nurse stayed calm while cleaning the wound.
'blase' suggests dulled interest from overfamiliarity, not steady composure in a difficult moment.

2. showing the smooth, worldly confidence of someone who has seen a great deal and

2.adjectiveC2
Definition

showing the smooth, worldly confidence of someone who has seen a great deal and thinks little can surprise them

Example

Christopher arrived in Paris with the blase confidence of a seasoned buyer.

blase confidence from wide experience

Hoa answered the gossip with a blase smile and changed the subject.

blase smile showing polished detachment

Common collocations
  • blase smile
  • blase manner
  • blase confidence
  • blase laugh
Synonyms
  • sophisticated

    broader and can be positive without the detached tone of blase

  • worldly

    stresses experience of society and human behavior more directly

  • polished

    focuses on smooth social manner, not necessarily on being hard to surprise

Antonyms
  • naive

    lacking the experience that gives a worldly air

  • innocent

    suggesting freshness and lack of worldly sophistication

Grammar Patterns

blase + noun

be + blase

blase + manner/smile/confidence

Usage Note

More literary than everyday. It often appears before nouns like smile, manner, or confidence to suggest a polished air that comes from wide experience, not simple boredom.

Common Mistakes

The shy child gave a blase smile to the class.
The shy child gave a nervous smile to the class.
'blase' here suggests worldly polish from experience, not beginner shyness.

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

'Bored' is the everyday word when something fails to hold your interest. 'Indifferent' is broader and often means that you simply do not care much, whether or not you have seen the thing before. 'Jaded' usually adds a stronger feeling of weariness after too much pleasure, success, or stimulation. 'Blase' is more polished and literary than all three. It suggests that repeated exposure or luxury has made someone act as if nothing is special anymore, and it can even hint at a pose of cool detachment. A guest may sound bored during a long speech, but sound blase after meeting famous people every week.

bored ↗indifferent ↗jaded ↗blase ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • blase attitude
  • blase manner

Phrases

  • be blase about
  • sound blase
  • look blase

Prepositions

Etymology

FrenchEnglish

Borrowed into English from French 'blasé', a word used for someone whose feelings have been dulled by too much pleasure, excitement, or experience.

First known use

1819

1819, in the meaning defined at sense 1