Emotionless: meaning, definitions and examples

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emotionless

[ɪˈməʊʃ(ə)nləs ]

Definitions

^{Context #1 | Adjective}

feeling

Lacking or showing no emotion; unemotional. Emotionless individuals may have difficulty expressing their feelings or connecting with others.

Synonyms

apathetic, detached, stoic, unemotional.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
emotionless	Describes someone who shows no emotions at all in situations where emotions are expected. Can be seen as negative because it implies a lack of empathy or concern. He remained emotionless even when he heard the tragic news. The robot's face was completely emotionless.
unemotional	Describes someone who does not display emotions openly. Often seen as neutral, indicating a calm and composed manner. He gave an unemotional account of the accident. Her voice was completely unemotional during the discussion.
stoic	Describes someone who endures pain or hardship without showing their emotions. Often seen positively as it implies strength and resilience. Despite the pain, she remained stoic and continued to work. His stoic expression suggested he was used to enduring hardship.
apathetic	Describes lack of interest or concern, especially in situations where it is expected to care. Can indicate laziness or indifference. She seemed apathetic about the environmental issues being discussed. His response to the crisis was disturbingly apathetic.
detached	Implies a deliberate disconnection or impartiality, often to remain objective or not get involved emotionally. Can be both neutral or slightly negative, depending on the context. The scientist tried to remain detached from the emotional aspects of the experiment. Her detached demeanor might make her seem unfriendly.

Examples of usage

She stared at him with an emotionless expression.
His voice was cold and emotionless during the phone call.
I was surprised by how emotionless she seemed in such a tragic situation.

^{Context #2 | Adjective}

behavior

Characterized by a lack of emotional response or reaction; indifferent. Emotionless behavior can sometimes be perceived as cold or uncaring.

Synonyms

aloof, calm, indifferent, unresponsive.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
emotionless	Often used in a negative way to describe someone who shows no emotions, typically in situations where some emotional reaction is expected. His emotionless response to the tragic news shocked everyone. The robot's voice was emotionless and cold.
indifferent	Describes someone who has no interest, concern, or care for something, usually in a negative light. She was indifferent to the outcome of the game. His indifferent attitude towards the project worried his team.
unresponsive	Used to describe someone who fails to respond or react to stimuli or communication. Commonly has a negative connotation. Despite several attempts to reach out, he remained unresponsive. The patient was unresponsive to the treatment.
aloof	Use when describing someone who is perceived as distant, reserved, or not interested in social interactions. He seemed aloof during the meeting and didn't engage in any conversations. Despite her friendly nature, she often comes across as aloof in large gatherings.
calm	Use in situations where a person or atmosphere is peaceful and free from stress or agitation. She remained calm during the emergency and guided everyone to safety. The calm sea made for a perfect day of sailing.

Examples of usage

His emotionless reaction to the news shocked everyone.
She maintained an emotionless demeanor throughout the meeting.
The soldier's emotionless gaze hinted at the trauma he had experienced.

Interesting Facts

Etymology

The word is formed from 'emotion', which comes from the Latin 'emovere', meaning 'to move out' or 'to stir up'.
The suffix '-less' indicates the absence of something, so 'emotionless' literally means 'without emotions'.
The word has been used in English since the early 20th century, reflecting modern ideas about psychological states.

Psychology

People may appear emotionless due to various conditions like depression, autism, or sociopathy, which can affect emotion expression.
The concept relates to the 'flat affect' in psychology, where individuals display limited emotional responses.
Socio-cultural factors can also influence emotional expression, with some societies encouraging restraint while others promote open emotion.

Literature

Characters considered emotionless often embody the archetype of the 'stoic', representing strength through restraint in many novels.
In dystopian novels, being emotionless is sometimes portrayed as a societal norm, reflecting conformity and control.
Poets often explore the idea of feeling trapped in an emotionless state, using this concept to evoke empathy in readers.

Pop Culture

Emotionless characters appear frequently in films and TV shows, often portrayed as the 'cool' or 'mysterious' figures, like the Terminator.
In animated series, the character's emotionless nature can serve as comic relief, contrasting with more emotive characters.
The portrayal of 'emotionless' individuals often sparks discussions on mental health and the importance of emotional expression in society.

Science

Research on emotional responses has shown that even if someone appears emotionless, they may still experience feelings internally.
Brain studies reveal that different regions activate even when people seem emotionally flat, indicating complex internal emotional processes.
Understanding emotional expressions is key in fields like robotics and AI, where developers strive to create machines that can effectively simulate human emotions.

Translations

Translations of the word "emotionless" in other languages:

🇵🇹 sem emoção

🇮🇳 भावशून्य

निष्प्राण
उदासीन

🇩🇪 emotionslos

🇮🇩 tanpa emosi

🇺🇦 беземоційний

🇵🇱 bez emocji

🇯🇵 無感情

🇫🇷 sans émotion

🇪🇸 sin emoción

🇹🇷 duygusuz

🇰🇷 감정이 없는

🇸🇦 بلا مشاعر

🇨🇿 bez emocí

🇸🇰 bez emócií

🇨🇳 无感情

🇸🇮 brez čustev

🇮🇸 tilfinningalaus

🇰🇿 сезімсіз

🇬🇪 უგრძნობი

🇦🇿 emosiyasız

🇲🇽 sin emoción

Word Frequency Rank

This word's position of #32,519 indicates it's among the more rare English words. While understanding it broadens your vocabulary, focus on more common words first.

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32516 zephyr
32517 twister
32518 obstreperous
32519 emotionless
32520 turreted
32521 lyricist
32522 peppery
...