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
Did you know?
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
But when chronic stress, inflammation, poor recovery, repetitive movement patterns, or sedentary lifestyles dominate, fascia may become more rigid and guarded over time.
—
Meggen Harris, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Well-fed, sedentary king penguins age faster than wild ones.
—Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
Mentally active sedentary behaviors could include reading, office work and other activities that keep the brain engaged while sitting, while mentally passive behaviors may include watching television or other low-engagement screen activities.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 25 May 2026
There’s a simple, free way to eliminate a lot of the negative effects of being sedentary.
—Kara Alaimo, CNN Money, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sedentary
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Meggen Harris, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Well-fed, sedentary king penguins age faster than wild ones.
—Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
Mentally active sedentary behaviors could include reading, office work and other activities that keep the brain engaged while sitting, while mentally passive behaviors may include watching television or other low-engagement screen activities.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 25 May 2026
There’s a simple, free way to eliminate a lot of the negative effects of being sedentary.
—Kara Alaimo, CNN Money, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sedentary
Cite this Entry
“Sedentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sedentary. Accessed 4 Jun. 2026.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
