stagnate

verb

stag·​nate ˈstag-ˌnāt 

stagnated; stagnating

intransitive verb

: to become or remain stagnant

a puddle of stagnating water

wages stagnated

Examples of stagnate in a Sentence

a puddle of stagnating water

Recent Examples on the Web

But negotiations stagnated, and now the 31-year-old quarterback plans to play out the final season of his three-year, $100 million contract before pursuing free agency next offseason. — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 1 Aug. 2026

Especially on offense, where Reid’s genius is undeniable but results have stagnated the last few years. — Vahe Gregorian july 31, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026

Without this shift, skills stagnate, adaptability plummets and teams fall behind competitors who prioritize ongoing development. — Cuong Nguyen Cao, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

Problem gambling surged, but racetrack revenue continued to stagnate. — Rebecca Egan McCarthy, New Yorker, 21 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1661, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for stagnate

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate

Kids Definition

stagnate

verb

stag·​nate ˈstag-ˌnāt 

stagnated; stagnating

: to be or become stagnant

stagnation

stag-ˈnā-shən 

noun