Unperceptive: meaning, definitions and examples

When describing someone who lacks the ability to notice or understand things around them.

• He’s quite unperceptive, missing all the hints she was giving.
• I find his unperceptive nature frustrating during meetings.

Describing someone who does not notice important details or events happening in their surroundings.

• Being unobservant, he didn’t notice the sign directing him to the exit.
• Her unobservant behavior often leads to missing critical information.

When referring to someone who doesn’t show consideration for others’ feelings, often perceived negatively.

• His insensitive comments hurt her very deeply.
• She can be so insensitive, never thinking about how others might feel.

When someone is completely unaware of what’s happening around them, often unintentionally.

• She was oblivious to the chaos around her as she read her book.
• Despite all the noise, he remained oblivious and continued working.

This word is used to describe someone who does not notice or understand things easily or quickly.

• She found him to be rather unperceptive when it came to reading her emotions.
• The teacher was unperceptive to the students' boredom during the lecture.

Used to describe someone who takes a long time to think or understand things. This is often seen as an insult.

• Although he was slow-witted, he was very kind-hearted.
• She was slow-witted when it came to solving puzzles.

Commonly used to describe someone who is not intellectually sharp or is boring in nature. It can have a mildly negative connotation.

• The lecture was so dull that several students fell asleep.
• He is a bit dull and often misses the point of the conversation.

This term is often used to describe someone who is slow to understand or is deliberately insensitive. It has a negative connotation.

• He was being obtuse on purpose, pretending not to understand her feelings.
• Her obtuse remarks made it clear that she was not interested in the discussion.