unresponsive

adjective

un·​re·​spon·​sive ˌən-ri-ˈspän(t)-siv How to pronounce unresponsive (audio)
Synonyms of unresponsivenext
: not responsive
The patient was unresponsive.
an infection unresponsive to antibiotics
an unresponsive bureaucracy
Although they are able to locate their own food at two weeks of age, fledgling robins will still piteously beg handouts from their increasingly unresponsive father.—Millard H. Sharp
unresponsively adverb
staring unresponsively
unresponsiveness noun

Examples of unresponsive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Inside the home, officers found a woman with apparent gunshot wounds unresponsive, according to Capt. — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 1 Aug. 2026 Coleman, 29, was arrested after officers responded to a report from a hospital employee that there was an unresponsive child in a locked car at the employee parking lot of Northside Gwinnett Hospital in Lawrenceville. — Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026 The firefighters entered the apartment and found the woman unconscious and unresponsive. — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 30 July 2026 But when the associate producer tried to retrieve the film, Netflix became unresponsive, according to the complaint. — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for unresponsive

Word History

First Known Use

1768, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of unresponsive was in 1768

Rhymes for unresponsive

See All Rhymes for unresponsive

Browse Nearby Words

unresponsible
unresponsive
unrest
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Unresponsive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unresponsive. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Medical Definition

unresponsive

adjective
un·​re·​spon·​sive ˌən-ri-ˈspän(t)-siv How to pronounce unresponsive (audio)
: not responsive (as to a stimulus or treatment)
an unresponsive ulcer
unresponsiveness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on unresponsive

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for unresponsive

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