sedentary
adjective
sed·en·tary
ˈse-dᵊn-ˌter-ē 
1
: not migratory : settled
sedentary birds
sedentary civilizations
2
a
: doing or requiring much sitting
a sedentary job
b
: not physically active
a sedentary lifestyle
3
: permanently attached
sedentary barnacles
Did you know?
Sit and Learn About Sedentary
Sedentary comes from Latin sedēre, meaning "to sit." Other descendants of sedēre include dissident, insidious, preside, reside, and subsidy. Sedēre is also the base of the rare sedens, a noun meaning "a person who remains a resident of the place or region of his or her birth."
Examples of sedentary in a Sentence
Editing the dictionary is a sedentary job.
The work is very sedentary.
Their health problems were caused by their sedentary lifestyles.
He became sedentary later on in his life.
Recent Examples on the Web
To date, a recent clinical review has found that individuals consistently logging long sleep durations score lower on cognitive assessments, especially when combined with mood imbalances or sedentary lifestyles.
—
Ximena Araya-Fischel, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
They can be fixed or non-modifiable, like a family history or advancing age, or modifiable, like a sedentary lifestyle or excessive alcohol or salt consumption.
—Colleen Doherty, Verywell Health, 12 May 2025
Focus on Standing More Having a sedentary lifestyle can adversely affect your health.
—Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 1 May 2025
To address the risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle, it is recommended that people engage in at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity each day.
—John Gallucci Jr, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sedentary
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Ximena Araya-Fischel, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
They can be fixed or non-modifiable, like a family history or advancing age, or modifiable, like a sedentary lifestyle or excessive alcohol or salt consumption.
—Colleen Doherty, Verywell Health, 12 May 2025
Focus on Standing More Having a sedentary lifestyle can adversely affect your health.
—Mark Gurarie, Verywell Health, 1 May 2025
To address the risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle, it is recommended that people engage in at least 30 minutes of aerobic activity each day.
—John Gallucci Jr, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for sedentary
Cite this Entry
“Sedentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sedentary. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sedentary
adjective
sed·en·tary
ˈsed-ᵊn-ˌter-ē
1
: not migratory : settled
sedentary birds
2
: doing or requiring much sitting
a sedentary job
Medical Definition
sedentary
adjective
sed·en·tary
ˈsed-ᵊn-ˌter-ē
: doing or requiring much sitting : characterized by a lack of physical activity
increased risk of heart disease for those with sedentary jobs
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