What's the difference between the words 'dispirited' and 'apathetic', please?

Dispirited -- Characterized by loss of interest

Apathetic -- Characterized by lack of interest

But if I had a lack of interest in being dispirited, I would be all bubbly and effervescent...kind of like Jackie!

I think dispirited means more discouraged, disheartened, depressed. Apathetic means that you just don't care.

Becoming dispirited is generally done to you by something or someone - the death of someone close will make you dispirited.

Apathy is a state of mind brought about by a consideration of something at the end of which you decide that you don't have an opinion, or something about which you just don't know enough to have an opinion and about which you don't care enough to inform yourself well enough to form one.

Is that clear?

Oh I dunno, somehow I just can't be bothered!

To me, "dispirited" means depressed, "apathetic" means having no feelings,numb.

To ad my 2-pence: both are symptoms of depression: Being dispirited leads to lack of action - apathetic leads to lack of reaction (from lack of sensation).

Surely one can be apathetic without being depressed?

E.g., most young people in UK don't bother to vote in elections (therefore, are apathetic) but it is because they don't feel that their input is going to make any difference to the political process (they could be right, at that ) but they don't feel unhappy about it - they just don't care about it.

Dear Ruby Sea,

A dispirited person is definitely depressed--feeling low, aching, miserable, on the point of tears, or wanting to crawl into a hole and die.

I agree with you that the apathetic person is in another place entirely. Feeling nothing. Perhaps once dispirited, but now feeling nothing. Not caring. Neither a little happy--nor a little sad. Not even neutral, which is actually a pretty decent mental state because it allows minute fluctuations of pain and pleasure.

But the poor apathetic feels nothing. At least with a dispirited person there's hope for movement toward a better emotional level. But with the apathetic person, you've got to get in there and make something go. It's like charging a dead engine! Apathy is a lot closer to death than dispiritedness....if dispiritedness is a word. Calling all tswums!!! Calling all tswums!!!

Bliss remorse,
Woewind

Apathy, as the Rhube has commented, is a state of not caring, total indifference, inability to give a damn, about some topic. You can be apathetic about anything, really. I personally couldn't care less who the next Archbishop of Canterbury is; if they've appointed one I haven't heard and I don't care. He (or, I guess, potentially, she) could have six legs, polka dots and practice satanism on Saturday afternoons for all I care). However, apathy about one thing does not necessarily translate into a general apathy about everything. I passionately care about a number of pressing and important issues. "Alot" and "Alright" are two of them!

I think someone who is apathetic about everything is best described as alienated or socially disenfranchised.

dear wordlessness(not),

‘I do not know’..said joe bfstplk dispiritedly, 'A defatigation and dispiritedness accompanies my depression.'

http://home.mn.rr.com/wwftd/

Dispitited means you've run out of liquor. You then become a pathetic creature. You just crammed the "a" and the "p" too close together!