insensible
gb/ɪnsˈɛnsəbəl/ us/ɪnsˈɛnsəbəl/
C1
English
~ 7300
Senses
0 senses
adjective
C1
state
1
unconscious, not awake
Not awake and not reacting, usually because you are hurt, sick, or very tired.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is insensible (after/because of [something])
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "insensible" with "insensitive". "Insensible" here means unconscious, not awake; "insensitive" usually means not caring about other people’s feelings.
Synonyms
unconscious (The most direct and common word; slightly more general and more frequent than "insensible" in everyday speech.)
|
out cold (Informal; strongly emphasizes being completely unconscious, often after a blow or fainting.)
Antonyms
conscious (Describes someone who is awake and aware, the direct opposite of being insensible in this physical sense.)
|
awake (Focuses on not sleeping or not being knocked out, contrasting with being insensible.)
Collocations
lie insensible
|knock [someone] insensible
|render [someone] insensible
|found [someone] insensible
|left insensible
Themes
health
|emergencies
|medicine
|body
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The boxer lay insensible on the canvas after the final blow.
- She was found insensible at the bottom of the stairs and rushed to hospital.
- The heat was so intense that several runners collapsed, one of them completely insensible.
- He drank until he was insensible on the sofa.
- The victim was still insensible when the paramedics arrived.
Learner examples
- The man was insensible after the car crash.
- They found her insensible on the floor.
- He hit his head and was insensible for ten minutes.
- The doctor said the patient was insensible but still breathing.
adjective
formal
C1
property
2
not noticing or aware of something
Not aware that something is happening or that something is true.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is insensible to [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may use "insensible" where "unaware" would be more natural in everyday speech. "Insensible" in this sense is quite formal and is more common in written English than in conversation.
Synonyms
unaware (Very close in meaning and more common; does not carry the slightly formal tone that "insensible" does.)
|
oblivious (Suggests being completely and often carelessly unaware, sometimes more strongly than "insensible".)
Antonyms
aware (General opposite, meaning knowing about or noticing something.)
|
conscious of (Stresses a deliberate awareness, the opposite of being insensible to something.)
Collocations
insensible to the fact
|insensible to danger
|insensible to what is happening
|remain insensible to
|wholly insensible to
Themes
thinking
|perception
|behavior
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He seemed completely insensible to the risks he was taking.
- She worked on, insensible to the noise around her.
- The government appeared insensible to the growing public anger.
- Lost in thought, he was insensible to the passing of time.
- They remained insensible to the subtle shift in public opinion.
Learner examples
- He is insensible to the danger of driving so fast.
- She was insensible to the noise and kept reading.
- The company was insensible to changes in the market.
- He walked past me, insensible to my greeting.
adjective
formal
C1
property
3
emotionally unfeeling or indifferent
Not feeling or showing care when other people are sad, hurt, or in need.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is insensible to [someone’s] feelings/suffering
Common mistake:
Learners often use only "insensitive" for this idea. "Insensible" is more formal and is mainly used in written or serious contexts to stress a strong, often shocking lack of feeling.
Synonyms
insensitive (The most common everyday word; broader and less formal than "insensible" while often describing the same behavior.)
|
callous (Stronger and more negative, suggesting a cold or even cruel lack of feeling.)
Antonyms
sensitive (Describes someone who notices and cares about others’ feelings, the opposite of being emotionally insensible.)
|
compassionate (Highlights active concern and kindness toward others, contrasting with emotional indifference.)
Collocations
insensible to their suffering
|insensible to her tears
|morally insensible
|brutally insensible
|insensible to pleas
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|morality
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He remained utterly insensible to the pain he had caused his family.
- The regime was notoriously insensible to the suffering of its citizens.
- Her boss was insensible to her anxiety and kept piling on work.
- Donations fell as the charity was seen as insensible to local concerns.
- They accused him of being morally insensible in the face of such injustice.
Learner examples
- He is insensible to his wife’s feelings.
- The company was insensible to the needs of its workers.
- She seemed insensible to the sadness in the room.
- People thought the leader was insensible to their problems.
adjective
formal
C2
property
4
too slight to be noticed
So small or slow that you cannot see, feel, or notice it.
Usage pattern:
an insensible change/difference/gradual increase
Common mistake:
Learners rarely use "insensible" in this sense and usually choose "small", "slight", or "imperceptible" instead, which are more natural in modern English.
Synonyms
imperceptible (Standard term in both everyday and technical contexts; more common than "insensible" for this idea.)
|
subtle (Often suggests something hard to notice; can carry a positive sense of being delicate or fine, unlike neutral "insensible".)
Antonyms
noticeable (Direct opposite, meaning easy to see or detect.)
|
obvious (Stronger than "noticeable", stressing that something is very easy to perceive.)
Collocations
insensible change
|insensible difference
|insensible gradations
|almost insensible
|insensible movement
Themes
science
|measurement
|description
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The drug caused an insensible but steady drop in blood pressure.
- Over the years, an insensible change in the coastline became apparent.
- There were only insensible differences between the two samples.
- The temperature rose by an almost insensible amount during the night.
- Progress was insensible at first, then suddenly visible to everyone.
Learner examples
- There was an insensible change in the room’s temperature.
- The river moves with an insensible but constant flow.
- At first the color difference was insensible to the eye.
- The company grew by insensible steps each year.
adjective
archaic
C2
property
5
foolish or lacking judgment
Not using good sense; acting in a foolish or stupid way.
Usage pattern:
it is insensible (of [someone]) to [do something]
Common mistake:
Learners often expect "insensible" to mean the same as "sensible" with a negative prefix, but this usage is old-fashioned. In modern English, "foolish" or "unwise" are much more common.
Synonyms
foolish (Common and direct; slightly softer and more everyday than the archaic-sounding "insensible".)
|
senseless (Stronger and more critical, often used for actions that seem completely without reason.)
Antonyms
sensible (Direct opposite, meaning showing good sense and practical judgment.)
|
reasonable (Stresses logic and fairness, contrasting with an insensible or foolish action.)
Collocations
an insensible decision
|an insensible act
|utterly insensible
|insensible policy
Themes
judgment
|behavior
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- It would be insensible to ignore such clear evidence.
- They regarded the proposal as wholly insensible and unworkable.
- To invest all your savings in one risky stock is insensible in the extreme.
- His insensible remarks angered everyone present.
- Continuing the project under these conditions would be insensible.
Learner examples
- It is insensible to drive so fast in the rain.
- Putting all your money in one place is insensible.
- I think it is insensible to ignore the problem.
- The plan seems insensible to many people.
Grammar
Dictionary form
insensible
IPA
GB/ɪnsˈɛnsəbəl/
US/ɪnsˈɛnsəbəl/
Syllables & stress
in - sens - ible (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (sens)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: insensible
Word family
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
insensibly
adverb
insensibility
noun
insensitive
adjective B2
insensitivity
noun
senseless
adjective B2
Advanced or less common
sensibility
noun C1
sensational
adjective
Expressions
be insensible to
1/bˈi ɪnsˈɛnsəbəl tə/
fixed phrase
formal
not aware of or affected by
To not notice something or to not be moved or changed by it, even though other people are.
Examples
- He seemed to be completely insensible to her criticism.
- The committee was not insensible to the cost, but still approved the project.
- We cannot be insensible to the impact of our actions on others.
knock someone insensible
1/nˈɑk sˈʌmwˌʌn ɪnsˈɛnsəbəl/
fixed phrase
hit someone until unconscious
To hit or attack a person so hard that they become unconscious and do not respond.
Examples
- The attacker knocked him insensible with a single punch.
- She fell and struck her head, effectively knocking herself insensible.
- The blow was strong enough to knock the guard insensible for several minutes.