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

Officials confirmed that the 6-year-old had gone missing and was found unresponsive in a pool on the property, per the Journal-Constitution. —Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 11 Oct. 2025

Soon joined by colleagues, the officer used a baton to shatter the driver’s side window before pulling an unresponsive man to safety. —Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2025

When first responders arrived at the scene, the man was initially unresponsive but breathing, but died at the scene, despite medics' life-saving efforts, Willer said. —Kelli Arseneau, jsonline.com, 8 Oct. 2025

He was admitted in an unresponsive state with hypoglycemia, or dangerously low blood sugar levels. —Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 8 Oct. 2025

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