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 Whirlpool stock was relatively stagnant in Monday trading, while Zions Bancorporation stock climbed 2%. William Gavin, Quartz, 4 Mar. 2024 The home improvement retailer also is dealing with consumers hesitant to make big-ticket appliance purchases and a stagnant housing market. Catherine Muccigrosso, Charlotte Observer, 27 Feb. 2024 Women’s representation in film is either stagnant or progressing backward. Kim Elsesser, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 And stagnant pools of water are the perfect breeding grounds for mosquitos to lay their eggs. Elizabeth Gamillo, Discover Magazine, 27 Feb. 2024 The organization argues that Democrats are falling short in connecting on economic issues with Latino voters who have been hit hard by inflation, high cost of living and stagnant wages, which have subsequently fueled voter frustration. Nicole Acevedo, NBC News, 7 Feb. 2024 Both teams are celebratory, but not stagnant as regional times are being submitted and worked on in practice every day. Timothy Dashiell, Baltimore Sun, 2 Feb. 2024 Dozens of independent speech pathologists across the state pushed back against the decision, arguing that their reimbursement rates had stayed stagnant for years, and a cut to those rates would force many to leave the insurance company’s network. Ciara McCarthy, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 31 Jan. 2024 Americans are feeling the brunt of rising costs, stagnant wages, job insecurity and heavy workloads. Jason Leverant, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stagnant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near stagnant

Cite this Entry

“Stagnant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stagnant. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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