Unresponsive means not reacting or responding to something that normally should get a reaction. When you call someone's name and they don't answer, look up, or show any sign they heard you, they're being unresponsive. When you tap on a frozen computer screen and nothing happens, the computer has become unresponsive.

The word often describes a worrying lack of response. In medicine, if someone is unresponsive, they don't react to sounds, touch, or other stimulation. A teacher might say a student is unresponsive when they won't participate in class discussions or answer questions. A coach might describe a team as unresponsive if players ignore instructions and feedback.

Sometimes unresponsive describes technology: an unresponsive app won't open, an unresponsive website won't load, an unresponsive controller won't make your character move. The word suggests something broken about the normal back-and-forth of communication or interaction.

When someone or something is unresponsive, it creates frustration because you expect acknowledgment or action but get nothing. The opposite would be responsive: alert, engaged, and reacting appropriately.