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

(2)

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

(3)

of a disease : quiescent

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

• dull
• inert
• lethargic
• quiescent
• sleepy
• sluggish
• torpid

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

More than 500,000 people aged 16 to 24 years were economically inactive — not in education, employment, or training — between October and December 2023. —Isabella Ward, Fortune Europe, 8 Apr. 2024

His TikTok account is now inactive, but his messages urging fellow migrants to take over homes continue circulating online. —Emma Colton, Fox News, 4 Apr. 2024

The building destroyed in Lebanon was affiliated with al-Jamaa al-Islamiya, a small political party that for a decade had largely been inactive but saw a resurgence after Oct. 7. —The Washington Post, arkansasonline.com, 28 Mar. 2024

The 2023 data revealed 26% of adults in Indiana were physically inactive, compared to 22% nationally. —Marina Johnson, The Indianapolis Star, 20 Mar. 2024

However, this really isn’t the time to be inactive. —Hannah Coates, Vogue, 15 Mar. 2024

Before the loan s1mple had been inactive in pro competition, taking a break since the launch of Counter-Strike 2 for personal reasons. —Mike Stubbs, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024

His voter status in Chicago was listed as inactive as of September 2023. —Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2024

In the most recent case, Microsoft’s initial disclosure said the SVR hackers had gotten into an inactive cloud test account. —Joseph Menn, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined above

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