Distant and cold in manner

Usage examples of standoffish.

The creature was obviously a Flenserist fanatic, standoffish and rigid much of the time.

For all his jaunty cannoneer muffs and standoffish manner, Scrupilo was terrified.

It was not that she was unfriendly or standoffish, but simply very quiet, very reserved.

Sadly his Aunt Edwina was inflexible and sour, tense and standoffish, a dyed-in-the-wool snob whose basic values were quite alien to him.

Very professional and standoffish he was too, she thought, watching his vast back disappearing down the staircase.

Some of the older veterans were a bit standoffish with him at the beginning of the summer, again relegating some of the dirtier jobs to him to see if he thought college had made him too good for such work.

Colored folks in Denver can be mighty standoffish and stick to their own circles, but they make good wages, and your product will warm them up to you, believe me.

Nor are they devoid of magic, though they are a standoffish lot who never attend our conventions.

There were sometimes exchanges of nods or passing pleasantries between groups, but the masks kept things on a very reserved and standoffish basis.

Without any instructions, they were standoffish to the Prussian officers and cautious to keep them away from the eggs, which were left in their swaddling-clothes and kept at the heart of their camp under a now-tripled volunteer guard, posted by Ferris, whenever Temeraire was engaged in maneuvers or exercise.