inert

adjective

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in·ert | \ i-ˈnərt

Definition of inert

1 : lacking the power to move

2 : very slow to move or act : sluggish

3 : deficient in active properties especially : lacking a usual or anticipated chemical or biological action

Other Words from inert Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym Example Sentences Learn More about inert

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Choose the Right Synonym for inert

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 inert in a Sentence

an inert and lifeless body How does he propose to stimulate the inert economy and create jobs?

Recent Examples on the Web This was partly because America in early 2020 was booming by historical standards, and partly because the Trump administration and Congress quickly infused some $4 trillion of liquidity into the inert economy. — Victor Davis Hanson, National Review, "What Will Historians Make of Our Annus Horribilis?," 31 Dec. 2020 Orlando is one of the most inert franchises in the NBA. — Matt Eppers, USA TODAY, "NBA offseason grades: From Bucks to Lakers and beyond, which teams have set up themselves for success?," 16 Dec. 2020 Many heritage sites are not inert buildings that are purely vessels of history but are also living and breathing entities that are very much situated in the daily lives of those that live around them. — Sabrina Papazian, Smithsonian Magazine, "In Times of Conflict, How Can We Support the People Who Keep Culture Alive," 22 Dec. 2020 But now lab experiments from the Harvard team, published today in Communications Earth & Environment, have found the compound to be relatively inert to that chemistry—still a step up from ozone-depleting sulfates, however. — Paul Voosen, Science | AAAS, "Geoengineers inch closer to Sun-dimming balloon test," 15 Dec. 2020 The US Air Force declassified video of a mock nuclear test from August 2020 where a F-35A Lightning II jet was used to drop an inert nuclear bomb. — Karol Brinkley, CNN, "Must-watch videos of the week," 27 Nov. 2020 An inert Biden is playing the role of good ol’ Joe from Scranton, while his supporters hope not to just to change presidency, but to alter the very rules of how America has been governed for decades and even centuries. — Victor Davis Hanson Tribune News Service (tns), Star Tribune, "A plea to Biden voters: Don't empower leftists," 29 Oct. 2020 The inert explosives included two pipe bombs and 14 sticks of dynamite. — Jordan Culver, USA TODAY, "A Colorado man who expressed 'hatred' of Jewish people and planned to blow up a synagogue pleads guilty to federal hate crime," 16 Oct. 2020 Their ineptitude, combined with an inert bureaucracy staffed by ex-soldiers, left the government floundering and unable to achieve anything much. — The Economist, "Aung San Suu Kyi was supposed to set Burmese democracy free," 7 Nov. 2020

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