stagnant
adjective
stag·nant
ˈstag-nənt 
1
a(1)
: not flowing in a current or stream
stagnant water
(2)
: without inflow and outflow
a stagnant pool
b
: stale
long disuse had made the air stagnant and foul—
Bram Stoker
Bram Stoker2
: not advancing or developing
a stagnant economy
stagnantly
adverb
Examples of stagnant in a Sentence
… many people who make their living in academia are reasonably well insulated from financial devastation. For most tenured faculty, the worst they are likely to experience is stagnant pay and deferred retirement.
—Andrew Delbanco, The New York Review of Books, 14 May 2009
"For adults, entertainment needs to be relevant to their life." Chen points to the stagnant US comic book industry as an example of irrelevance. "I don't want to see video games become like American superhero comics," he admits. "American comics live and die based on a very niche audience. In Japan, comics are a national art form."
—Sid Shuman, Gamepro, May 2009
The blue-green algae blooms can occur in both freshwater and saltwater environments, but are most commonly found in stagnant bodies of water enriched by runoff, Paerl said. Public health officials in the southeastern United States are beginning to monitor water supplies for some of the toxins.
—Bridget M. Kuehn, Journal of the American Medical Association, 25 May 2005
Andrew Delbanco, The New York Review of Books, 14 May 2009
"For adults, entertainment needs to be relevant to their life." Chen points to the stagnant US comic book industry as an example of irrelevance. "I don't want to see video games become like American superhero comics," he admits. "American comics live and die based on a very niche audience. In Japan, comics are a national art form."
—Sid Shuman, Gamepro, May 2009
The blue-green algae blooms can occur in both freshwater and saltwater environments, but are most commonly found in stagnant bodies of water enriched by runoff, Paerl said. Public health officials in the southeastern United States are beginning to monitor water supplies for some of the toxins.
—Bridget M. Kuehn, Journal of the American Medical Association, 25 May 2005
Recent Examples on the Web
Things got stagnant and the Mercury missed all seven of their 3-point attempts.
—Ben Pickman, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
There were multiple games where the offense was stagnant in critical moments.
—Kansas City Star, 6 Oct. 2025
With today’s economic uncertainty, a shopping spree may be off the table, but that doesn’t mean your home has to feel stagnant.
—Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Oct. 2025
Schools are facing mounting challenges — from funding pressures to declining enrollment and stagnant student achievement.
—Kayla Huynh, jsonline.com, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stagnant
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Ben Pickman, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
There were multiple games where the offense was stagnant in critical moments.
—Kansas City Star, 6 Oct. 2025
With today’s economic uncertainty, a shopping spree may be off the table, but that doesn’t mean your home has to feel stagnant.
—Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Oct. 2025
Schools are facing mounting challenges — from funding pressures to declining enrollment and stagnant student achievement.
—Kayla Huynh, jsonline.com, 2 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stagnant
Cite this Entry
“Stagnant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stagnant. Accessed 12 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
stagnant
adjective
stag·nant
ˈstag-nənt
1
: not flowing in a current or stream : motionless
2
: not active or brisk
stagnant business
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