# lifeless

/ˈɫaɪfɫəs/ (US) · /lˈaɪfləs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/lifeless
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. dead

adjective · CEFR B2

having died or no longer showing signs of life.

For teachers: having lost biological life; deceased or clinically dead.

- The rescuers found a lifeless body near the edge of the river.
- The paramedics worked frantically for twenty minutes, but the patient remained lifeless despite their repeated attempts at resuscitation.

### 2. lacking energy or excitement

adjective · CEFR B2

dull and boring, without any feeling or energy.

For teachers: lacking vitality, spirit, or animation; often used to describe performances or artistic works.

- The party was lifeless until the music finally started playing.
- Critics dismissed the sequel as a lifeless imitation of the original, citing the lead actor's wooden performance and a predictable script.

### 3. unable to support life

adjective · CEFR C1 · Academic

describing a place where no plants or animals can live.

For teachers: barren or uninhabited; incapable of sustaining biological organisms.

- The moon is a lifeless world with no air or water.
- Probes sent to the distant planet confirmed it was a lifeless wasteland, scorched by radiation and devoid of any liquid water.

### 4. inanimate

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

describing an object that has never been alive, like a rock.

For teachers: naturally lacking the qualities of living organisms; inanimate.

- The artist spent hours painting the lifeless objects on the table.
- The philosopher argued that we should respect the environment, even the lifeless components like mountains and rivers.

## Examples

- The desert landscape looked beautiful but lifeless.
- After the long drought, the once-green fields were brown and lifeless.
- The critic dismissed the performance as lifeless, noting that the actors seemed to be merely reciting their lines without any emotional connection to the script.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.