as in inertia
lack of action or activity
as a result of the park department's inaction, the city's pools are not ready to open for the summer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of inaction
Congress, meanwhile, has largely abdicated its regulatory role, lulled into inaction by Silicon Valley’s campaign dollars and lobbying power.
—
Editorial, Boston Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
Congress, the president, drug manufacturers and insurers are all confronting forces that make inaction increasingly risky.
—Robert Pearl, Twin Cities, 30 Jan. 2026
Aides said the Pretti death was such a clarifying moment for their bosses that inaction was no longer an option.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
Contrary to popular belief, inaction is not the real danger.
—Julian Hayes Ii, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inaction
Editorial, Boston Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
Congress, the president, drug manufacturers and insurers are all confronting forces that make inaction increasingly risky.
—Robert Pearl, Twin Cities, 30 Jan. 2026
Aides said the Pretti death was such a clarifying moment for their bosses that inaction was no longer an option.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 29 Jan. 2026
Contrary to popular belief, inaction is not the real danger.
—Julian Hayes Ii, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for inaction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inaction
inertia
Noun
-
The city’s unique pace of regulation, agile visa regimes, and deep integration across sectors from education to manufacturing provide a seamless environment for businesses to pilot, scale, and diversify quickly, often cutting through the bureaucratic inertia found elsewhere.—
Abdulla Belhoul,
Fortune,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Ships have real inertia and Newtonian physics, and pilots can choose to toggle flight assistance on to help stabilize their often unpredictable craft, or off to perform mind-bending maneuvers that can be the edge between life and death in high-skill player versus player shootouts.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inaction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inaction. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
