insensible

adjective

in·​sen·​si·​ble (ˌ)in-ˈsen(t)-sə-bəl 

1

: incapable or bereft of feeling or sensation: such as

a

: lacking sensory perception or ability to react

insensible to pain

b

: unconscious

knocked insensible by a sudden blow

c

: not endowed with life or spirit : insentient

insensible earth

2

a

: unaware

insensible of their danger

b

: lacking emotional response : apathetic, indifferent

insensible to fear

3

: not intelligible : meaningless

4

: imperceptible

dampened by an insensible dew

broadly : slight, gradual

insensible motion

5

: lacking delicacy or refinement

6

archaic : stupid, senseless

insensibility

(ˌ)in-ˌsen(t)-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

insensibleness

(ˌ)in-ˈsen(t)-sə-bəl-nəs 

noun

insensibly

(ˌ)in-ˈsen(t)-sə-blē 

adverb

Synonyms

• cold
• senseless
• unconscious

Examples of insensible in a Sentence

She was knocked insensible by the collision.

if a choking person is insensible, you should lay them down on their back before performing the Heimlich maneuver

Recent Examples on the Web

Or lobbyists can sometimes intervene and gain insensible exemptions from bans. —IEEE Spectrum, 10 Feb. 2024

But the Cylinder Sling by Building Block flirts with such attitude without becoming rude or insensible. —Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2022

The novel positions him as insensible to agendas, hopelessly subject to the whims of the altruistic and the cruel. —Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2022

Armando Iannucci’s brilliant 2017 farce, The Death of Stalin, explores that question on a literal plane, with Stalin’s deputies frantically maneuvering for position while Stalin, not yet entirely dead, lies insensible and unattended on the floor. —Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 22 Apr. 2022

Combat troops get inured to death, but Yaroslav’s comrades seemed to me beyond inured, insensible. —New York Times, 16 Jan. 2022

Being sick also can lead to insensible fluid loss, such as sweating from fever or blowing your nose, Rosner says, while vomiting or diarrhea can exacerbate fluid loss. —Washington Post, 22 Oct. 2021

Over the next several hundred pages, naïve and self-deceiving Russ remains insensible to the desires of his wife Marion, who makes plans to reunite with her old flame and rediscover her old, uninhibited self. —Merve Emre, Vulture, 30 Sep. 2021

Through some accidental sorcery involving a spreadsheet, Gerald has transferred his consciousness into the app, leaving his insensible body behind in his apartment. —Katy Waldman, The New Yorker, 23 Sep. 2021

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, from Latin insensibilis, from in- + sensibilis sensible

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Kids Definition

insensible

adjective

in·​sen·​si·​ble (ˈ)in-ˈsen(t)-sə-bəl 

1

: imperceptible sense 1

insensible motion

2

a

: not endowed with life or spirit : inanimate sense 1

b

: unconscious entry 1 sense 2

knocked insensible by the accident

c

: not able to feel or be aware of using a sense or senses

insensible to pain

3

: not aware of or caring about something

insensible to fear

insensible of their danger

insensibility

(ˌ)in-ˌsen(t)-sə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

insensibly

-ˈsen(t)-sə-blē 

adverb

Medical Definition

insensible

adjective

in·​sen·​si·​ble -ˈsen(t)-sə-bəl 

1

: incapable or bereft of feeling or sensation: as

a

: unconscious

knocked insensible by a sudden blow

b

: lacking sensory perception or ability to react

insensible to pain

c

: lacking emotional response : apathetic

2

: not perceived by the senses

insensible perspiration

insensibility

(ˌ)in-ˌsen(t)-sə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

plural insensibilities