unmoved
Americanadjective
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having no emotional response; feeling no pity, sadness, passion, enthusiasm, etc..
He came crying for help, but his family was unmoved—they were worn down from years of helping him to no avail.
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unchanged, especially in value or degree; remaining the same, as one’s intentions or principles.
Get ready for another day of unmoved barometric pressure.
After two weeks of stalled negotiations, both sides remain unmoved.
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having not been physically changed from one position or place to another; having been left alone.
Does the number of upholstered pieces for the new house include the unmoved furniture?
adjective
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not affected emotionally
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unchanged
share price remained unmoved
Etymology
Origin of unmoved
First recorded in 1350–1400; un- 1 ( def. ) + moved ( def. )
Explanation
Someone who is unmoved is not affected by emotions or convinced by arguments. Parents who do not change their minds about raising your allowance despite your earnest pleas are unmoved. The word unmoved also has the simpler meaning of "not moved," as in the vase stayed firmly on the table during the earthquake. But the word is more often used to describe people whose emotions are not stirred by a sad story or event. Such people are not swayed from a course of action by feelings of outrage or sorrow. For example, a judge in a courtroom may be unmoved by a lawyer's arguments that a first-time offender deserves a second chance.
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.
Smith was on seven when the Tigers appealed for caught behind off Ebadot Hossain, but umpire Kumar Dharmasena was unmoved.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
The state was unmoved, and maintained in legal filings that Anderson was domiciled in Connecticut.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026
This is not the work of a justice indifferent to slavery or unmoved by the constitutional catastrophe of Dred Scott.
From Slate ● Jul. 2, 2026
Not because I was unmoved by the setting, the 1950s version of the iconic landmarks where today’s Angelenos, myself included, work, play, eat and drink: Griffith Park, the L.A.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 1, 2026
But they sat there unmoved by anything and Wang Lung gnashed his teeth at them and walked back to his house groaning and fell upon his bed.
From "The Good Earth" by Pearl S. Buck
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.
