Definition

Not alive or living; refers to things that do not have life, such as objects or substances that are inanimate.

Example

The artist used both living and unliving materials in her sculpture.

Conversation

Have you ever thought about how many things around us are actually unliving?

Yeah, it’s interesting to think about all the inanimate objects we use every day.

Exactly! Sometimes I feel like we forget they’re not alive at all.

Right? It makes you appreciate the living things even more.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Unliving → It is formed from "un-" (meaning not) and "living" (from Old English "libban", meaning to live). The word "unliving" means not living or devoid of life.

Memory Tip

Think of 'not' ('un-') being added to 'living' — this helps you remember that 'unliving' refers to something that is not alive.

Visually Confused Words