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
Anything that’s anti-sedentary.
—
Renée Onque, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2025
Key Takeaways People with sedentary jobs have a higher risk of heart disease and early death compared to those who sit less.
—Fran Kritz, Verywell Health, 17 Oct. 2025
Research suggests a few potential culprits, including environmental elements (like endocrine-disrupting chemicals used in products and packaging) and lifestyle factors, like broad trends toward being more sedentary and delaying having kids.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 1 Oct. 2025
Established jointly by the US Department of Agriculture and the US Department of Health and Human Services, the RDA represents the minimum amount of a nutrient that must be eaten by a relatively sedentary person to meet their basic needs.
—Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sedentary
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Renée Onque, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2025
Key Takeaways People with sedentary jobs have a higher risk of heart disease and early death compared to those who sit less.
—Fran Kritz, Verywell Health, 17 Oct. 2025
Research suggests a few potential culprits, including environmental elements (like endocrine-disrupting chemicals used in products and packaging) and lifestyle factors, like broad trends toward being more sedentary and delaying having kids.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 1 Oct. 2025
Established jointly by the US Department of Agriculture and the US Department of Health and Human Services, the RDA represents the minimum amount of a nutrient that must be eaten by a relatively sedentary person to meet their basic needs.
—Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 12 Sep. 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 30 Oct. 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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