unresponsive vs irresponsive

Both 'unresponsive' and 'irresponsive' are correct, but 'unresponsive' is more commonly used in English. 'Irresponsive' is less common and may sound more formal or literary.

Last updated: April 09, 2024 • 1551 views

unresponsive

This is a correct and commonly used term in English.

It means not reacting or responding to something. It is often used in medical or technical contexts.

Examples:

The patient was unresponsive to the treatment.
The company was unresponsive to customer complaints.
She remained unresponsive to his advances.
The government was unresponsive to the demands of the protesters.
The machine was unresponsive to user input.

Show examples from the web [+]

English Language Learners Definition of unresponsive ... : not replying or reacting to someone's question, request, demand, etc. : not reacting or able to react ...
synonyms for unresponsive · insensitive · passive · cold · cool · frigid · unemotional · unfeeling.
At its current price, pembrolizumab is not cost-effective for bacillus Calmette-Guérin-unresponsive carcinoma in situ relative to radical cystectomy or ...
Jun 27, 2019 ... Background. Brain activation in response to spoken motor commands can be detected by electroencephalography (EEG) in clinically unresponsive ...
Non-eosinophilic corticosteroid unresponsive asthma. Lancet. 1999 Jun 26;353(9171):2213-4. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(99)01813-9.
unresponsive Add to list Share · adjective. not responding to some influence or stimulus. Synonyms: refractory. temporarily unresponsive or not fully responsive ...

Alternatives:

non-responsive
unreactive
uncommunicative
unyielding
uncooperative

irresponsive

This is a correct term in English, but less commonly used than 'unresponsive'.

It also means not reacting or responding to something, but it may sound more formal or literary.

Examples:

His irresponsive attitude towards the issue was frustrating.
The company's irresponsive behavior led to a loss of customers.
The teacher was irresponsive to the students' concerns.
The government remained irresponsive to the needs of the community.
The machine's irresponsive interface made it difficult to use.

Show examples from the web [+]

In the verapamil-irresponsive group, 10 patients (group IA) had VT that could be initiated by programmed ventricular extrastimulation and terminated by ...
EnglishEdit. EtymologyEdit. From ir- +‎ responsive. AdjectiveEdit. irresponsive (comparative more irresponsive, superlative most irresponsive).
This study aimed at comparing the effects of atorvastatin and vitamin E on erectile dysfunction in patients initially irresponsive to sildenafil, ...
Jul 30, 2019 ... On the other, molecular recognition can be amplified by a photo-irresponsive and hydrophilic molecule by reducing the steric hindrance of ...
We analyzed clinical experience with percutaneous closure of instances of left atrial appendage with thrombus (LAAT) irresponsive to antithrombotic therapy ...
Define irresponsive. irresponsive synonyms, irresponsive pronunciation, irresponsive translation, English dictionary definition of irresponsive. adj. 1.

Alternatives:

unresponsive
non-responsive
unreactive
uncommunicative
unyielding

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