unresponsiveadj.
/(ˌ)ʌnrᵻˈspɒnsɪv/, U.S. /ˌənrəˈspɑnsɪv/ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > perplexity, bewilderment > [adjective] > at a loss
shentc1440
stumbled1548
nonplussed1606
unresponsive1668
pitch-kettled1788
posed1820
bepuzzled1826
buffaloed-
1668 Bp. J. Wilkins Ess. Real Char. 341 To render a man Vnresponsive, is to Confound, Poze, Puzzle, Non-plus.
2. Not responsive; that does not or cannot respond to an action, touch, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > absence of emotion > [adjective] > lacking emotional sensibility
unfeelingc1000
mis-feelinga1382
stonishc1450
unpainfulc1450
obtuse1509
sprightlessa1522
insensate1553
senseless1560
soulless1568
dull-esprited1591
impassible1592
bluntie1598
impenetrable1600
stockish1600
stolidc1600
incapable1601
stupid1605
tasteless1605
unsensitive1610
unexalted1611
insensible1617
unsensible1619
languid1622
immovable1639
dead-hearted1642
sterile1642
resupine1643
unaffectionate1645
iron-bound1648
resentlessa1649
torpid1656
torpulent1657
impassive1699
unreceptive1722
hebete1743
apathetic1744
stubbed1744
gustless1766
unresponsive1768
unsusceptible1779
tideless-blooded1786
unaffectioned1788
inaccessible1796
hebetudinous1820
unimpressible1828
insensitive1834
apathetical1835
non-sensitive1836
blunt-hearted1845
irreceptive1846
unreceptant1846
unimpressionable1847
anaesthetic1860
insentient1860
hard (also tough, sharp) as nails1862
unsqueamish1893
tone-deaf1894
unget-at-able1897
facty1901
zombie1937
pegamoid1957
1768 Gazetteer & New Daily Advertiser 20 Dec. A majority of these faithful protectors of the rights of Englishmen, were seldom unresponsive to ministerial application.
1816 W. Scott Old Mortality ix, in Tales of my Landlord 1st Ser. IV. 201 The hand..turned cold within her grasp, and lay..unresponsive to her caresses.
1871 J. R. Macduff Memories of Patmos xviii. 242 All now dull, pulseless, unresponsive as the insensate stone.
1886 H. Caine Son of Hagar i. iv Hugh took the proffered hand with unresponsive coldness.
1920 Boys' Life July 9/2 The faces of Pegram and Driscoll were stolidly unresponsive.
1963 W. Starkie Scholars & Gypsies ii. 43 Bending over me she gave me a long slow kiss on my lips. So dumbfounded was I that I remained inert and unresponsive.
2002 Sci. Amer. Oct. 17/1 Such instruments are surprisingly unresponsive to subtle motions of the musician's hands.
Derivatives
ˌunreˈsponsively adv.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > absence of emotion > [adverb]
unappassionately1598
stupidlya1626
dispassionately1717
impassively1828
apathetically1831
passionlessly1831
soullessly1832
stockishly1846
unresponsively1853
feelinglessly1856
stolidly1856
insensately1863
impassibly1872
unemotionally1884
stonily1899
insensitively1961
1853 Illustr. Mag. Art 2 308/1 He remained quite silent, and there was almost an unresponsively cold look on his face.
1857 Littell's Living Age 29 Aug. 535/2 Her friend's face..was not turned away unresponsively.
1919 Amer. Jrnl. Theol. 23 437 How often have we seen them turning unresponsively from the message.
2011 Scotsman (Nexis) 21 Oct. 43 Susie's policeman husband grunts unresponsively in the background.
ˌunreˈsponsiveness n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > absence of emotion > [noun] > want of or incapacity for emotion
dryheada1300
lethargyc1380
drynessc1450
dumping1542
unsensibility1551
insensibleness?1555
unsensibleness?1555
stupidity1568
stolidity1570
stupor1570
dumpishness1574
senselessness1577
innaturality1579
astoniedness1580
impassibility1603
stupefaction1603
torpor1607
deadness1611
unsufferance1611
hebetude1621
nonsense1621
drought1622
hebetation1623
obstupefaction1625
unanswerableness1626
tastelessnessa1631
insensateness1646
impassiveness1648
obtuseness1648
barrenness1655
torpulency1657
sterility1661
spiritlessness1669
unspiritedness1669
unaffectedness1678
insensibility1691
stolidness1727
apathy1742
impenetrableness1747
unfeelingness1766
impassivity1794
unfeeling1805
soullessness1811
incommobility1822
obtusity1823
unimpressibleness1830
hardhead1836
stockishness1837
insensitiveness1838
impenetrability1847
unreceptivity1849
unsusceptibility1850
woodenness1854
unimpressionability1862
irresponsiveness1864
unresponsiveness1869
impassibleness1874
irreceptivity1881
unimpressibility1889
apatheia1893
inemotivity1894
affectlessness1921
insensitivity1957
1869 E. Jolly Viola I. i. iv. 38 An atmosphere..of utter unresponsiveness, from which all sympathy is absent.
1912 Jrnl. Royal Afr. Soc. 11 165 He cannot tell you the reason for his unresponsiveness, for he does not know it himself.
2012 Herald (Glasgow) (Nexis) 23 Apr. 5 A dozen people were..treated for extreme reactions to tablets, including unconsciousness, unresponsiveness, nausea and dizziness.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, December 2014; most recently modified version published online December 2021).
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adj.1668