inanimate

adjective

in·an·i·mate | \ (ˌ)i-ˈna-nə-mət

Definition of inanimate

1 : not animate:

a : not endowed with life or spirit an inanimate object

b : lacking consciousness or power of motion an inanimate body

2 : not animated or lively : dull

Other Words from inanimate Synonyms & Antonyms Did You Know? Example Sentences Learn More about inanimate

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Examples of inanimate in a Sentence

“pathetic fallacy” is the literary term for the ascription of human feelings or motives to inanimate natural elements

Recent Examples on the Web

Because Old Glory seemed horrified when President Trump enveloped her in an unreciprocated bear hug at the CPAC conference last Sunday—proving that the president not only grabs women by their private parts, but inanimate objects as well. — Lynn Yaeger, Vogue, "The Week in Washington: Can a Flagpole File a Harassment Lawsuit?," 10 Mar. 2019 But unlike leases for inanimate objects, some of the terms included with pet leases can have troubling consequences. — Nancy Coleman, WSJ, "Just Bought a New Puppy? It Might Be a Rental," 19 July 2018 Not even inanimate objects can bear to watch Chatwood pitch. — Steve Rosenbloom, chicagotribune.com, "Cubs had better find a regular spot in the rotation for Mike Montgomery," 20 June 2018 However, this trend of bringing inanimate objects as dates is becoming a motif for the young star. — Sarah Spellings, The Cut, "Jaden Smith Brought Another Non-Human Date to the Met Gala," 7 May 2018 The clouds are meant to be a bridge between the extremely rich but inanimate matter of the museum and the ever evolving living elements. — Steve Johnson, chicagotribune.com, "Hanging 'plant clouds,' pterosaurs to join crowd in Field Museum's Stanley Field Hall makeover," 10 Jan. 2018 Similarly, try mis-tagging photos of friends—or use photos of celebrities, cartoons, or inanimate objects—to confuse Facebook’s facial recognition and computer vision algorithms. — Lil Miss Hot Mess, WIRED, "A Drag Queen’s Guide to Protecting Your Privacy on Facebook By Breaking the Rules," 3 Apr. 2018 Sometimes, inanimate objects can be there for us in a way that people can’t. — Lindsey Lanquist, SELF, "7 Women Share Photos of the Surprising Things That Helped Them Get Over a Breakup," 18 Dec. 2017 But Cappy's most enduring feature is the ability to take over control of certain enemies, onlookers, and even previously inanimate objects, which sport Mario's trademark cap and mustache to indicate they've been temporarily possessed. — Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, "Super Mario Odyssey review: Mario’s densest, deepest adventure yet," 26 Oct. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'inanimate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.