unresponsive

adjective

un·​re·​spon·​sive ˌən-ri-ˈspän(t)-siv 

: 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

The attacker then fled westbound from the station while the victim was discovered unresponsive in a nearby room, police said. — Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026

The driver was unresponsive and had at least one gunshot wound. — Tim Fang, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026

Kelker-Kelly reportedly had complained of chest pain shortly before becoming unresponsive, and the circumstances appeared consistent with a medical event, police said. — Denise Petski, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026

Prosecutors said Jannah became limp before becoming unresponsive. — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 5 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1768, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for unresponsive

• nonresponsive
• responsive

Medical Definition

unresponsive

adjective

un·​re·​spon·​sive ˌən-ri-ˈspän(t)-siv 

: not responsive (as to a stimulus or treatment)

an unresponsive ulcer

unresponsiveness noun