intransitive

adjective

in·​tran·​si·​tive (ˌ)in-ˈtran(t)-sə-tiv How to pronounce intransitive (audio) -ˈtran-zə- How to pronounce intransitive (audio)
-ˈtran(t)s-tiv
: not transitive
especially : characterized by not having or containing a direct object
an intransitive verb
intransitively adverb
intransitiveness noun
intransitivity noun

Did you know?

What is the difference between a transitive verb and an intransitive verb?

A transitive verb is a verb that requires a direct object, which is a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that follows the verb and completes the sentence's meaning by indicating the person or thing that receives the action of the verb. The direct object typically answers the question what? or whom?:

The kids like pickles.

That really annoys me.

Have they sold their house yet?

An intransitive verb is not used with a direct object. If something comes after an intransitive verb, that is, in the position usually inhabited by the direct object, it doesn't answer what? or whom?; instead it answers a question like where?, when?, how?, or how long?:

Her car died suddenly last week.

Someone was coughing loudly.

A single verb can have both transitive and intransitive uses:

They are playing soccer.

They've been playing all afternoon.

A transitive verb can also have an indirect object, which is a noun, pronoun, or noun phrase that comes before a direct object and indicates the person or thing that receives what is being given or done. Many common verbs can be used with both direct and indirect objects. In the following examples the indirect object is in italics:

Find her a chair.

Can you read me the letter?

Who gave her lawyers the information?

He's saving Caitlin a piece.

Examples of intransitive in a Sentence

In “I ran” and “The bird flies,” “ran” and “flies” are intransitive.
Recent Examples on the Web Many people first encounter intransitive games through rock paper scissors. Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 19 Sep. 2023 What mathematicians didn’t know until recently was how common intransitive dice are. Erica Klarreich, Quanta Magazine, 19 Jan. 2023 Later mathematicians extended their work to show that these intransitive relationships could involve a nearly infinite number of species. Quanta Magazine, 5 Mar. 2020 This is not specified — fight is an intransitive verb here, a verb without an object. Quanta Magazine, 16 May 2019

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

Late Latin intransitivus, from Latin in- + Late Latin transitivus transitive

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of intransitive was in 1612

Dictionary Entries Near intransitive

Cite this Entry

“Intransitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intransitive. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

intransitive

adjective
in·​tran·​si·​tive (ˈ)in-ˈtran(t)s-ət-iv How to pronounce intransitive (audio) -ˈtranz- How to pronounce intransitive (audio)
: not transitive
especially : not having or containing a direct object
an intransitive verb
intransitively adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on intransitive

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