stagnate

verb

stag·​nate ˈstag-ˌnāt How to pronounce stagnate (audio)
stagnated; stagnating

intransitive verb

: to become or remain stagnant

Examples of stagnate in a Sentence

a puddle of stagnating water
Recent Examples on the Web At the same time, competition for jobs has increased, wages have stagnated—and then there was a global pandemic that put a nearly three-year pause on life added to the mix. Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2024 By contrast, states stagnate where a powerful government exploits people for short-term gain. Steve Forbes, Forbes, 17 Oct. 2024 It’s been hit with enormous recalls of its top-sellers, has seen profits plummet as sales stagnate and is even facing offers to offload some of its historic brands. Owen Bellwood / Jalopnik, Quartz, 16 Sep. 2024 Investment, Fear And Team: The Triad Of Growth In summary, businesses often stagnate due to a lack of investment, fear of pushing beyond the comfort zone and an outdated or static team. Adam Stott, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for stagnate 

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

Latin stagnatus, past participle of stagnare, from stagnum body of standing water

First Known Use

1661, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stagnate was in 1661

Dictionary Entries Near stagnate

Cite this Entry

“Stagnate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stagnate. Accessed 1 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

stagnate

verb
stag·​nate ˈstag-ˌnāt How to pronounce stagnate (audio)
stagnated; stagnating
: to be or become stagnant
stagnation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on stagnate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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