inactive

adjective

in·​ac·​tive (ˌ)i-ˈnak-tiv 

: not active: such as

a(1)

: sedentary

(2)

: indolent, sluggish

b(1)

: being out of use

an inactive mine

a bank's inactive accounts

(2)

: relating to or being members of the armed forces who are not performing or available for military duties

(3)

: not involved in activities of a group or organization

an inactive member

(4)

of a disease : quiescent

(5)

of a volcano : no longer capable of erupting

c(1)

: chemically inert

(2)

: optically neutral in polarized light

d

: biologically inert especially because of the loss of some quality (such as infectivity or antigenicity)

inactively adverb

inactivity

(ˌ)i-ˌnak-ˈti-və-tē 

noun

Synonyms of inactive

• sleepy
• quiescent
• dull
• inert
• lethargic

Choose the Right Synonym for inactive

inactive, idle, inert, passive, supine mean not engaged in work or activity.

inactive applies to anyone or anything not in action or in operation or at work.

on inactive status as an astronaut

inactive accounts

idle applies to persons that are not busy or occupied or to their powers or their implements.

workers were idle in the fields

inert as applied to things implies powerlessness to move or to affect other things; as applied to persons it suggests an inherent or habitual indisposition to activity.

inert ingredients in drugs

an inert citizenry

passive implies immobility or lack of normally expected response to an external force or influence and often suggests deliberate submissiveness or self-control.

passive resistance

supine applies only to persons and commonly implies abjectness or indolence.

a supine willingness to play the fool

Examples of inactive in a Sentence

Inactive people suffer higher rates of heart disease.

it's easiest to catch snakes early in the morning, while they're still cold and inactive

Recent Examples on the Web

The Munster Fire Department posted a Facebook update on Saturday that BP crews have removed the span of an inactive pipeline over Hart Ditch and will start backfilling midway through this week in the Somerset and Briar Creek subdivisions. —Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 15 Feb. 2026

How the Study Worked In the study, 72 inactive adults with panic disorder who weren’t taking medications as treatment completed a 12-week program of brief intermittent intense exercise or relaxation training. —Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 11 Feb. 2026

These are abandoned or inactive locations, often former mines, landfills or manufacturing plants, where toxic chemical waste was never properly managed. —Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 10 Feb. 2026

With Zach Edey and Santi Aldama among those inactive, faces familiar to the Bay Area led the Grizzlies. —Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for inactive

• attractive
• contractive
• extractive
• proactive
• reactive
• refractive
• subtractive
• active
• tractive
• bioactive
• hyperactive
• interactive

Kids Definition

inactive

adjective

in·​ac·​tive (ˈ)in-ˈak-tiv 

: not active: as

a

: slow to move or act : sluggish

b

: being out of use or activity

an inactive mine

an inactive volcano

c

: inert

argon is chemically inactive

inactively adverb

Medical Definition

inactive

adjective

in·​ac·​tive (ˈ)in-ˈak-tiv 

: not active: as

a

: marked by deliberate or enforced absence of activity or effort

forced by illness to lead an inactive life

b

of a disease : not progressing or fulminant : quiescent

c(1)

: chemically inert

inactive charcoal

(2)

: not exhibiting optical activity in polarized light

d

: biologically inert especially because of the loss of some quality (as infectivity or antigenicity)

inactivity

(ˌ)in-ˌak-ˈtiv-ət-ē 

noun

plural inactivities