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Apolitical vs Nonpolitical – What’s the difference?
Question
Introduction
Like most people, you’ve probably heard of “apolitical,” but not known what it means. You might have thought it meant “not involving politics” or “neutral towards political issues,” and that’s close—but it’s actually the opposite. People who want to stay out of the political fray tend to be apolitical, while those with strong opinions on politics tend to be nonpolitical (or at least admit that they’re not apolitical). The difference between these two words may seem trivial at first glance, but once you understand them better, you’ll appreciate how different they really are!
Apolitical is a word that means “not having or involving political beliefs.”
The word “apolitical” is a bit of a misnomer. The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as “not having or involving political beliefs,” but that doesn’t mean you can’t have any political beliefs at all. In fact, many people use the term apolitical to describe themselves because they don’t want to be associated with one particular party or another.
A more accurate way of describing someone who doesn’t align themselves with either major party would be nonpartisan–someone who does not vote based on party affiliation. Or if you’re feeling particularly divisive, bipartisan–a person who votes for candidates from both parties in an election
Nonpolitical is a word that means “not relating to or concerning politics.”
It’s an adjective, so it modifies nouns. For example, if you say “I’m nonpolitical,” it means that you don’t like politics (or are not interested in them). If someone asks you whether or not they should go out for drinks after work and you say something like “that’s up to you,” then that means it’s up to them whether or not they want to go out for drinks after work–you’re saying their decision isn’t based on any political factors at all.
Apolitical and nonpolitical are two words that mean opposite things.
An apolitical person is someone who doesn’t have any political beliefs, while a nonpolitical person is one who doesn’t relate to or concern themselves with politics. The meaning of both words is exactly the opposite of each other, so if your friend says she’s uninterested in politics, she may also say that she’s apolitical (but not necessarily).
Apolitical and nonpolitical are two words that mean opposite things.
Answer ( 1 )
🤔 Have you ever wondered what the difference is between apolitical and nonpolitical?
Well, there’s a lot to unpack here. To understand the difference between these two terms, it’s important to first understand what they both mean.
An apolitical person is someone who avoids getting involved in political matters. They don’t express any political views or opinions, and would rather stay out of the political discussion. This can be out of a sense of personal responsibility, or simply because they don’t want to get involved in potentially heated debates.
On the other hand, a nonpolitical person is someone who openly expresses their political views and opinions. They’re not afraid to voice their thoughts on political matters, and are often more engaged in the political discussion than apolitical people.
Now that we know what each term means, let’s look at how they differ from each other.
The main difference between apolitical and nonpolitical people is in their behavior. Apolitical people tend to be more passive, while nonpolitical people are typically more active. Apolitical people may not take part in the political discussion, but they are still paying attention to what’s going on. They’re just choosing to stay out of the fray.
Nonpolitical people, on the other hand, are more likely to engage in the political debate. They may post their opinions online, write letters to their representatives, or even participate in protests.
The other difference between apolitical and nonpolitical people is in their beliefs. Apolitical people tend to be more open-minded and willing to look at both sides of the argument. They’re less likely to take a hard stance on political issues, and may even be willing to compromise.
Nonpolitical people, however, tend to be more ideologically driven. They’re more likely to take a hard stance on issues, and less likely to change their mind.
So, to sum it up, the main difference between apolitical and nonpolitical people is in their behavior and beliefs. Apolitical people tend to be more passive and open-minded, while nonpolitical people are more active and ideologically driven. 🤔