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

Raman’s campaign, Horvath said, was about building power by acknowledging the exasperation of voters rather than building traditional coalitions in what has been an unresponsive political establishment. — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026

The man in handcuffs, shortly after being detained, became unresponsive, according to the Sheriff’s Office. — Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026

When over half of shoppers intentionally provide proxy emails or fake numbers to avoid spam and data exposure, brands end up building marketing strategies on flawed, unresponsive databases while alienating distrustful consumers. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 4 Nov. 2026

Upon arrival, officers found the pedestrian unresponsive in the street. — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 4 Nov. 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