Unbewegt

Unbewegt is a German adjective and adverb describing a lack of motion. In English translations it is commonly rendered as motionless or unmoved. The word can apply to physical objects, people, or scenes, and is frequently used in literature, journalism, and everyday speech to convey stillness, calm, or restraint.

Etymology and nuance: It is formed with the prefix un- meaning not and bewegt, the past participle of bewegen “to move.” It is related to unbeweglich (immovable) but carries a nuance of momentary stillness rather than a permanent condition. In many contexts unbewegt signals a state in the present moment rather than a lasting attribute.

Usage: As an adjective, it describes a subject that does not move: Der Arm blieb unbewegt. As an adverb, it can describe how someone stands or remains: Sie stand unbewegt da. The term can convey emotional effects, such as a motionless gaze or a scene paused in time. Common collocations include unbewegt bleiben and unbewegt stehen, often in contrast with in Bewegung sein (“in motion”). In translation, context determines whether “motionless,” “still,” or “unmoved” is most appropriate.

See also: unbeweglich, Ruhe, Stillstand, Stillleben. Unbewegt is a useful descriptor in German for conveying visual or emotional stillness, and it is easily understandable to readers familiar with related German terms.