stagnant

adjective

stag·​nant ˈstag-nənt How to pronounce stagnant (audio)
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 foulBram Stoker
2
: not advancing or developing
a stagnant economy
stagnancy noun
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
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But burnout and stagnant wages have sparked a retention crisis among truckers, and the industry as a whole appears to be in a period of flux. Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025 My toxic relationship with alcohol left me stagnant with closed eyes, hindering my growth and my healing. Essence, 8 Oct. 2025 Economic factors, such as the rising cost of groceries and stagnant wages, have led 59% of DIY parents away from retailers. Sarah Scott, Parents, 8 Oct. 2025 The house feels like it was made to hold stagnant air. Karly Hartzman, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stagnant

Word History

Etymology

see stagnate

First Known Use

1610, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler
The first known use of stagnant was in 1610

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stagnant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stagnant. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

stagnant

adjective
stag·​nant ˈstag-nənt How to pronounce stagnant (audio)
1
: not flowing in a current or stream : motionless
2
: not active or brisk
stagnant business

More from Merriam-Webster on stagnant

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