inert

adjective

in·​ert i-ˈnərt How to pronounce inert (audio)
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
inert noun
inertly adverb
inertness noun
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 Far from being inert armor, these shell plates are heavily decorated with sensory organs that enable the chitons to detect possible threats. Quanta Magazine, 29 Feb. 2024 But both are so bound by repression and secrecy that they’re almost doomed to be dramatically inert. Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 26 Feb. 2024 Enlarge / Space shuttle Endeavour, seen here in protective wrapping, was mounted on an external tank and inert solid rocket boosters at the California Science Center. Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 2 Feb. 2024 As detailed in a recent institute profile, LCEs are composed of molecules possessing liquid-like properties that can also arrange into periodic crystal formations once cool and inert. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 26 Oct. 2023 Hernando County Sheriff's Office The bomb squad from the Citrus County Sheriff's Office responded and determined the bomb was inert, officials said. Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 7 Feb. 2024 Investigators also found a rocket launcher and multiple grenades, but those were all inert, according to the prosecutor. City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Feb. 2024 Experts determined the mine was inert and safely removed it from the unit, officials said. Don Sweeney, Sacramento Bee, 25 Jan. 2024 At times, though, that sound has edged toward the inert and the bloodless. Carrie Battan, The New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'inert.' 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

Latin inert-, iners unskilled, idle, from in- + art-, ars skill — more at arm

First Known Use

1647, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of inert was in 1647

Dictionary Entries Near inert

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

inert

adjective
in·​ert in-ˈərt How to pronounce inert (audio)
: unable or slow to move, act, or react
inert ingredients in cough medicine
inert gas
inertly adverb
inertness noun

Medical Definition

inert

adjective
in·​ert in-ˈərt How to pronounce inert (audio)
1
: lacking the power to move
2
: deficient in active properties
especially : lacking a usual or anticipated chemical or biological action
an inert drug
inertness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on inert

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!