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Synonyms

motionless

American  
[moh-shuhn-lis] / ˈmoʊ ʃən lɪs /

adjective

  1. without motion.

    a motionless statue.
    Synonyms:
    quiet, quiescent, fixed, stable, inert, unmoving, stationary, still
    Antonyms:
    active
motionless British  
/ ˈməʊʃənlɪs /

adjective

  1. not moving; absolutely still

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • motionlessly adverb
  • motionlessness noun

Etymology

Origin of motionless

First recorded in 1590–1600; motion + -less

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Chinese veteran Liu Jiayu, the silver medallist at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, landed heavily towards the end of her second run, lying motionless on her back in the snow.

From Barron's • Feb. 11, 2026

Reducing McCullum's coaching to its most recognisable image - feet up, sunglasses in place, watching motionless from a balcony somewhere in the world - would always be wrong.

From BBC • Feb. 8, 2026

In December, motionless Waymo vehicles clogged San Francisco streets after a power outage.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 2, 2026

For the giant is motionless, and its chest is pierced with an ominous spear that rises 3,000 feet into the sky.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

But Felix was a pro at staying quiet and motionless.

From "Millionaires for the Month" by Stacey McAnulty

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.