Not interested vs Not with me
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Not interested
InformalTop 2,000 (common)
Not with me
Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Most formal: Not with meMost common: Not interested
| Not interested | Not with me | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //nɒt ˈɪntrəstɪd//🇺🇸 //nɑt ˈɪntrəstɪd// | 🇬🇧 //nɒt wɪð miː//🇺🇸 //nɑt wɪð mi// |
| Meaning | Don't want to know or be involved. | A phrase indicating disagreement or refusal to participate. |
| Example | When he asked if I wanted to join the club, I replied that I was not interested. | Are you coming to the party? Not with me. |
| Register | Informal | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Beyond 10,000 (less common) |
| Collocations | clearly not interested, not interested at all, seem not interested, generally not interested, not interested in | not with me on this, not with me anymore, not with me at all |
| Common mistakes | Using it in a formal conversation where politeness is needed., Confusing it with 'not interested in' when specifying a subject., Overusing it when a softer response is more appropriate. | Using 'not for me' instead of 'not with me'., Confusing 'not with me' with 'not by me'. |
| Usage notes | Used in casual conversations to express disinterest. Avoid in formal situations. Can be blunt. | Used to express that someone does not want to be involved in something. Common in casual conversations but can be appropriate in formal contexts. |
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Frequently asked questions: Not interested vs Not with me
What's the difference between Not interested and Not with me?
Not interested: Don't want to know or be involved. Not with me: A phrase indicating disagreement or refusal to participate.
Which is more formal: Not interested and Not with me?
Not with me is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Not interested and Not with me?
Not interested is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Not interested: When he asked if I wanted to join the club, I replied that I was not interested. Not with me: Are you coming to the party? Not with me.
Can I use Not interested and Not with me interchangeably?
Not always. Not interested and Not with me are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.