affectless

American  

[af-ekt-lis] / ˈæf ɛkt lɪs /

adjective

1. lacking feeling or emotion; indifferent to the suffering of others.

   an affectless, futuristic drama in which the human characters are virtually robots.

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affectless British  

/ əˈfɛktlɪs /

adjective

1. 1. showing no emotion or concern for others

   2. not giving rise to any emotion or feeling

      an affectless novel

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Other Word Forms

• affectlessly adverb
• affectlessness noun

Etymology

Origin of affectless

First recorded in 1965–70; affect ¹ + -less

Example Sentences

Astrud Gilberto sings “The Girl from Ipanema” in a light, affectless style that influenced Sade and Suzanne Vega among others, as if she had already moved on to other matters.

From Seattle Times • Jun. 6, 2023

They deliver their lines in an emotionless, crystal-clear manner that verges on the unrehearsed; not entirely affectless, but rather with the slightly enunciated flatness of an audio tutorial.

From New York Times • Jan. 22, 2023

The use of an A.I. program to replicate Warhol’s flat, affectless speech to read the diary entries had a strangely fitting logic.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 16, 2022

As Joe's shift begins — the film is set over the course of one long night — he answers 911 calls in a flat, affectless tone that exudes calm as he tries to help citizens.

From Salon • Oct. 1, 2021

December 12: Cries out in an affectless tone like a huckster, "Father MacN., take me to Heaven," repeating this over and over.

From Benign Stupors A Study of a New Manic-Depressive Reaction Type by MacCurdy, John T. (John Thompson)