stagnant

adjective

stag·​nant ˈstag-nənt 

1

a(1)

: not flowing in a current or stream

stagnant water

(2)

: without inflow and outflow

a stagnant pool

b

: stale

… long disuse had made the air stagnant and foul.

—Bram Stoker

2

: not advancing or developing

a stagnant economy

stagnancy

ˈstag-nən(t)-sē 

noun

stagnantly adverb

Examples of stagnant in a Sentence

… many people who make their living in academia are reasonably well insulated from financial devastation. For most tenured faculty, the worst they are likely to experience is stagnant pay and deferred retirement. —Andrew Delbanco, The New York Review of Books, 14 May 2009

"For adults, entertainment needs to be relevant to their life." Chen points to the stagnant US comic book industry as an example of irrelevance. "I don't want to see video games become like American superhero comics," he admits. "American comics live and die based on a very niche audience. In Japan, comics are a national art form." —Sid Shuman, Gamepro, May 2009

The blue-green algae blooms can occur in both freshwater and saltwater environments, but are most commonly found in stagnant bodies of water enriched by runoff, Paerl said. Public health officials in the southeastern United States are beginning to monitor water supplies for some of the toxins. —Bridget M. Kuehn, Journal of the American Medical Association, 25 May 2005

Recent Examples on the Web

But corruption across all parts of government, mismanagement of funds and the convergence of environmental problems and stagnant leadership has taken the leadership to the brink. —Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 12 Jan. 2026

Yet in 2025, consumer confidence hit historic lows, youth unemployment hovered around 15%, and real estate remained stagnant. —Joe Ngai, Fortune, 11 Jan. 2026

According to Foodshare, increased food prices and stagnant wages are forcing families to make a choice between necessities. —Kitan Arole, Hartford Courant, 11 Jan. 2026

The Lone Star State figures arrived as federal jobs data reiterated that the national labor market has remained resilient but largely stagnant. —Trevor Bach, Dallas Morning News, 10 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

see stagnate

First Known Use

1610, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Kids Definition

stagnant

adjective

stag·​nant ˈstag-nənt 

1

: not flowing in a current or stream : motionless

2

: not active or brisk

stagnant business