Insensible — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

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

Meaning & Definition of Insensible

Insensible (adjective)

  1. incapable or bereft of feeling or sensation
  2. lacking sensory perception or ability to react
  3. unconscious

Insensible (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having lost consciousness

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

    similar: cold, senseless, unconscious
    related: semiconscious, anesthetized, collapsed
    opposite: conscious
    near: alert, awake, aware, up, resuscitated, revived

  2. not perceptible by a sense or by the mind

    "the fragile glass flowers can be damaged by even the most insensible tremors"

    similar: impalpable, imperceptible, inappreciable, indistinguishable
    related: inaudible, intangible, invisible, inconspicuous, indistinct, unnoticeable, unseeable, unseen, faint, insignificant, liminal, slender, slight, subtle, trivial, buried, concealed, covert, disguised, hidden, obscure, shrouded, unapparent, vague
    opposite: appreciable, discernible, palpable, perceptible, ponderable, sensible
    near: audible, observable, recognizable, tangible, visible, clear, conspicuous, evident, eye-catching, manifest, noticeable, obvious, plain, prominent, striking, apparent, distinct, significant, straightforward

  3. having or showing a lack of interest or concern

    "city hall remains insensible to our complaints about the downtown parking situation"

    similar: apathetic, casual, complacent, disinterested, incurious, indifferent, insouciant, nonchalant, perfunctory, pococurante, unconcerned, uncurious, uninterested
    related: halfhearted, lukewarm, tepid, aloof, cold, numb, remote, unemotional, callous, hard-hearted, insensitive, unfeeling, calm, cool, detached, dispassionate, careless, heedless, mindless, impassive, impervious, phlegmatic, stoic, stolid, lethargic, listless, unimpressed
    opposite: concerned, interested
    near: attentive, aware, conscientious, heedful, mindful, caring, sensitive, warmhearted, ardent, fervent, keen, passionate, warm, zealous

  4. lacking animate awareness or sensation

    "even the canyon's insensible rocks seemed to mock the stranded climber's utter helplessness"

    similar: inanimate, insensate, insentient, senseless, unfeeling
    related: exanimate, lifeless, comatose, unconscious
    opposite: animate, feeling, sensate, sensible, sensitive, sentient
    near: aware, cognizant, conscious, animated, lively, vibrant

  5. lacking in refinement or good taste

    "married an insensible brute upon whom the niceties of life were completely lost"

    similar: coarse, common, crass, crude, gross, ill-bred, illiberal (archaic), incult, low, lowbred, lowbrow, raffish, rough, rough-hewn, roughneck, rude, rugged, tasteless, uncouth, uncultivated, uncultured, unpolished, unrefined, vulgar
    related: boorish, churlish, cloddish, clownish, loutish, ungentlemanly, clumsy, lubberly, lumpish, oafish, inconsiderate, indelicate, insensitive, thoughtless, countrified, provincial, rustic, unsophisticated, graceless, inelegant, tacky, animallike, barbaric, barbarous, uncivilized, mannerless, unmannered, unmannerly
    opposite: civilized, cultivated, cultured, genteel, polished, refined, smooth, tasteful, ultrarefined, well-bred
    near: aristocratic, courtly, patrician, elegant, graceful, restrained, considerate, gracious, sensitive, thoughtful, citified, sophisticated, urbane

  6. not informed about or aware of something

    "a scientist who usually is so engrossed in his work that he is quite insensible of the passage of time"

    similar: clueless, ignorant, incognizant, innocent, nescient, oblivious, unacquainted, unaware, unconscious, uninformed, unknowing, unmindful, unwitting, in the dark
    related: uneducated, unschooled, untaught, absent, absentminded, abstracted, heedless, inattentive, inconscient
    opposite: acquainted, aware, cognizant, conscious, conversant, grounded, informed, knowing, mindful, witting
    near: au courant, hip, plugged-in, up-to-date, educated, knowledgeable, schooled, taught, heedful, observant, sensitive, sentient

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Insensible

The most common words with a similar meaning to Insensible:

Archaic: illiberal
cold, senseless, unconscious, impalpable, imperceptible, inappreciable, indistinguishable, apathetic, casual, complacent, disinterested, incurious, indifferent, insouciant, nonchalant, perfunctory, pococurante, unconcerned, uncurious, uninterested, inanimate, insensate, insentient, unfeeling, coarse, common, crass, crude, gross, ill-bred, incult, low, lowbred, lowbrow, raffish, rough, rough-hewn, roughneck, rude, rugged

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Insensible

Words with the opposite meaning of Insensible:

conscious, appreciable, discernible, palpable, perceptible, ponderable, sensible, concerned, interested, animate, feeling, sensate, sensitive, sentient, civilized, cultivated, cultured, genteel, polished, refined, smooth, tasteful, ultrarefined, well-bred, acquainted, aware, cognizant, conversant, grounded, informed

Related Words for Insensible

semiconscious, anesthetized, collapsed, inaudible, intangible, invisible, inconspicuous, indistinct, unnoticeable, unseeable, unseen, faint, insignificant, liminal, slender, slight, subtle, trivial, buried, concealed, covert, disguised, hidden, obscure, shrouded, unapparent, vague, halfhearted, lukewarm, tepid

Near Antonyms of Insensible

alert, awake, up, resuscitated, revived, audible, observable, recognizable, tangible, visible, clear, conspicuous, evident, eye-catching, manifest, noticeable, obvious, plain, prominent, striking, apparent, distinct, significant, straightforward, attentive, conscientious, heedful, caring, warmhearted, ardent

Word Forms of Insensible

Derived words: insensibility (noun), insensibleness (noun), insensibly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Insensible

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

First known use: 14th century

Frequently Asked Questions about Insensible

What does "Insensible" mean?

"Insensible" means incapable or bereft of feeling or sensation. As an adjective, it is defined as: incapable or bereft of feeling or sensation. It has 6 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Insensible"?

Other words for "Insensible" include cold, senseless, unconscious, impalpable, imperceptible, inappreciable, indistinguishable and apathetic. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Insensible" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Insensible"?

There are 151 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Insensible". Common alternatives include cold, senseless, unconscious, impalpable, imperceptible, inappreciable, indistinguishable, apathetic, casual and complacent.

What is the opposite of "Insensible"?

Antonyms of "Insensible" include conscious, appreciable, discernible, palpable, perceptible, ponderable, sensible and concerned. Near antonyms include alert, awake, up and resuscitated.

How do you use "Insensible" in a sentence?

Examples of "Insensible" in a sentence: "if a choking person is insensible, you should lay them down on their back before performing the Heimlich maneuver"; "the fragile glass flowers can be damaged by even the most insensible tremors"; "city hall remains insensible to our complaints about the downtown parking situation".

Is "Insensible" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Insensible" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Insensible"?

"Insensible" is pronounced /(ˌ)in-ˈsen(t)-sə-bəl/ and divided into syllables as in·sen·si·ble.

What is the origin of the word "Insensible"?

"Insensible" comes from Middle English, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French, from Latin insensibilis, from in- + sensibilis sensible. First known use: 14th century.