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.
Weekly jobless claims remain volatile, hovering around 217,000 as of mid-October, while consumer confidence has stagnated at historically low levels. Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025 But sticking around doesn’t mean wages and salaries have to stagnate. Cathy Bussewitz, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2025 Market analysts also say the PC market has stagnated, suggesting consumers don’t see a major need to upgrade. PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2025 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 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 28 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
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