inanimate

adjective

in·​an·​i·​mate (ˌ)i-ˈna-nə-mət 

1

: not animate:

a

: not endowed with life or spirit

an inanimate object

b

: lacking consciousness or power of motion

an inanimate body

2

: not animated or lively : dull

… a lady of very prim appearance, and remarkably inanimate.

—Charles Dickens

inanimately adverb

inanimateness noun

Did you know?

The couch you sit on while you watch TV is an inanimate object, as is your footrest, your bag of snacks, and your remote control. Spend too much time on that couch and you risk becoming a couch potato. (A potato is an inanimate object.)

Synonyms of inanimate

• unconscious
• insensate
• unfeeling
• insentient
• lifeless

Examples of inanimate in a Sentence

“pathetic fallacy” is the literary term for the ascription of human feelings or motives to inanimate natural elements

Recent Examples on the Web

Many people backed his daughter because there was a dog outside in a way, while others acknowledge how creepy that inanimate face could be to a child. —Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025

Thin bony fingers as inanimate as dry cigarette papers. —Hazlitt, 16 July 2025

Partners View all partners Tropical reefs might look like inanimate rock, but these colorful seascapes are built by tiny jellyfish-like animals called corals. —Noam Vogt-Vincent, The Conversation, 6 June 2025

Of these performances, its is the most inanimate and yet evocative. —Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 6 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Late Latin inanimatus, from Latin in- + animatus, past participle of animare to animate

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing inanimate

• inanimate object

Rhymes for inanimate

• animate

Kids Definition

inanimate

adjective

in·​an·​i·​mate (ˈ)in-ˈan-ə-mət 

1

: not having life

stones are inanimate

an inanimate object

2

: not animated or lively : dull

inanimately adverb

Medical Definition

inanimate

adjective

in·​an·​i·​mate (ˈ)in-ˈan-ə-mət 

: not animate:

a

: not endowed with life or spirit

b

: lacking consciousness or power of motion