sedentary
adjective
sed·en·tary
ˈse-dᵊn-ˌter-ē 
1
: not migratory : settled
sedentary birds
sedentary civilizations
2
a
: doing or requiring much sitting
a sedentary job
b
: not physically active
a sedentary lifestyle
3
: permanently attached
sedentary barnacles
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Sit and Learn About Sedentary
Sedentary comes from the Latin verb sedēre, meaning "to sit." Other descendants of sedēre include dissident, insidious, preside, reside, and subsidy. Sedēre is also the base of the rare sedens, a noun that refers to a person who remains a resident of the place or region of their birth.
Examples of sedentary in a Sentence
Editing the dictionary is a sedentary job.
The work is very sedentary.
Their health problems were caused by their sedentary lifestyles.
He became sedentary later on in his life.
Recent Examples on the Web
Here is an example of research on passive versus active brain participation during sedentary activities and the relative risk of dementia.
—
Bryant Stamford, Louisville Courier Journal, 13 Nov. 2025
Even if that’s true (which is far from clear), an advantage in sedentary people trying to lose weight may well be a serious disadvantage in an endurance athlete trying to fuel and recover from high-level training.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside, 10 Nov. 2025
While tau buildup slowed by between three and seven years for people who walked up to 7,500 steps per day, people who were sedentary had a significantly faster buildup of tau proteins and more rapid declines in cognition and daily functioning, the study found.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
The athletes’ performance blew the tops off of charts for physical capability tests designed for relatively sedentary older people.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sedentary
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Bryant Stamford, Louisville Courier Journal, 13 Nov. 2025
Even if that’s true (which is far from clear), an advantage in sedentary people trying to lose weight may well be a serious disadvantage in an endurance athlete trying to fuel and recover from high-level training.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside, 10 Nov. 2025
While tau buildup slowed by between three and seven years for people who walked up to 7,500 steps per day, people who were sedentary had a significantly faster buildup of tau proteins and more rapid declines in cognition and daily functioning, the study found.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 3 Nov. 2025
The athletes’ performance blew the tops off of charts for physical capability tests designed for relatively sedentary older people.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sedentary
Cite this Entry
“Sedentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sedentary. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sedentary
adjective
sed·en·tary
ˈsed-ᵊn-ˌter-ē
1
: not migratory : settled
sedentary birds
2
: doing or requiring much sitting
a sedentary job
Medical Definition
sedentary
adjective
sed·en·tary
ˈsed-ᵊn-ˌter-ē
: doing or requiring much sitting : characterized by a lack of physical activity
increased risk of heart disease for those with sedentary jobs
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