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
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.
Inflation has remained above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target for years, and a stagnating labor market has reignited fears that more families could see their incomes shrink. Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025 Under the Glazers, Old Trafford was left to stagnate, with rivals building bigger, closing the gap on England’s biggest club football stadium. Andy Mitten, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025 Even amid trade uncertainties, tariffs and other margin-busting disruptions, the denim industry refuses to stagnate or reverse the progress it’s made. Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 8 Oct. 2025 But once the game shifted to the fourth quarter, Miami’s offense stagnated and its defense couldn’t get off the field. Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stagnate

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stagnate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stagnate. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!