Nonresponsive: meaning, definitions and examples

🚫
Add to dictionary

nonresponsive

 

[ nɒnrɪˈspɒnsɪv ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

medical

Not reacting or responding to something, especially something that should evoke a response.

Synonyms

inactive, unreactive, unresponsive.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

arrow down
Word Description / Examples
nonresponsive

Used primarily in medical or technical contexts to indicate a failure to respond. Often implies a serious or critical situation.

  • The patient was nonresponsive despite the medical team's efforts.
  • The software remained nonresponsive after the update.
unresponsive

Can be used in various contexts, including medical, technical, and everyday situations, to indicate a lack of response. It may carry a slightly negative connotation.

  • Despite repeated calls, the customer service was unresponsive.
  • The patient was unresponsive when paramedics arrived.
inactive

Describes someone or something that is not active or not moving. Can be used in everyday language as well as technical contexts.

  • Since retiring, he has become quite inactive.
  • The volcano has been inactive for years.
unreactive

Usually used in scientific contexts to describe a substance that does not react chemically.

  • The inert gas is largely unreactive under normal conditions.
  • This particular element is notoriously unreactive.

Examples of usage

  • The patient was nonresponsive to the medication.
  • She remained nonresponsive to the doctor's questions.
Context #2 | Adjective

technical

Failing to respond to input or stimuli.

Synonyms

inactive, unreactive, unresponsive.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

arrow down
Word Description / Examples
nonresponsive

Used in medical or technical fields to describe someone or something that does not respond when it should. It can refer to patients, machines, or systems.

  • The patient was nonresponsive to treatment.
  • The customer service phone line was nonresponsive.
unresponsive

A general term for someone or something that does not respond. It can be used in various contexts, indicating a lack of reaction or acknowledgment.

  • The app has been unresponsive since the last update.
  • Despite multiple attempts to communicate, the team was unresponsive.
unreactive

Used in scientific contexts to refer to substances or elements that do not readily undergo chemical reactions. Can also describe people who show little emotional response.

  • Noble gases are known to be unreactive.
  • She remained unreactive despite the surprising news.
inactive

Refers to a state of not being active, often describing people who are not engaging in physical activities or systems that are not currently operational.

  • He became inactive after his injury.
  • The volcano has been inactive for centuries.

Examples of usage

  • The nonresponsive keyboard made it impossible to type.
  • The nonresponsive screen was frustrating to deal with.

Translations

Translations of the word "nonresponsive" in other languages:

🇵🇹 não responsivo

🇮🇳 प्रतिक्रिया न करने वाला

🇩🇪 nicht ansprechbar

🇮🇩 tidak responsif

🇺🇦 нереагуючий

🇵🇱 niereagujący

🇯🇵 反応しない

🇫🇷 non réactif

🇪🇸 no receptivo

🇹🇷 tepkisiz

🇰🇷 반응이 없는

🇸🇦 غير مستجيب

🇨🇿 nereagující

🇸🇰 nereagujúci

🇨🇳 无响应

🇸🇮 neodziven

🇮🇸 óábyrgt

🇰🇿 жауап бермейтін

🇬🇪 არაპასუხობს

🇦🇿 cavabsız

🇲🇽 no receptivo

Etymology

The word 'nonresponsive' is a combination of 'non-' meaning 'not' and 'responsive' meaning 'reacting to a stimulus'. It first appeared in the mid-20th century in medical and technical contexts.

See also: unresponsive, unresponsively.