1
as in sleepy
slow to move or act
it's easiest to catch snakes early in the morning, while they're still cold and inactive
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dormant
not being in a state of use, activity, or employment
an inactive oil well
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inactive
Lifestyle factors associated with stress, such as an inactive lifestyle, may also contribute to high blood pressure.
—
Angela Ryan Lee, Health, 17 July 2025
Zepeda has an inactive guard, which will allow Stevenson to pepper him with shots around the high guard and down the middle.
—Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
The New York Times reported how the challenge calls for more than four times the amount of weekly exercise recommended by federal officials (630 minutes versus 150 minutes) — which some experts warned could be too taxing for individuals who were previously inactive and lead to potential injury.
—Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 9 July 2025
Aside from a few spot-date reunions, however, The Rapture has been inactive on the road since 2010.
—Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for inactive
Angela Ryan Lee, Health, 17 July 2025
Zepeda has an inactive guard, which will allow Stevenson to pepper him with shots around the high guard and down the middle.
—Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
The New York Times reported how the challenge calls for more than four times the amount of weekly exercise recommended by federal officials (630 minutes versus 150 minutes) — which some experts warned could be too taxing for individuals who were previously inactive and lead to potential injury.
—Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 9 July 2025
Aside from a few spot-date reunions, however, The Rapture has been inactive on the road since 2010.
—Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 8 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for inactive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inactive
Adjective
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As the sleepy sports calendar did its usual job of throttling Peacock’s momentum on the customer-acquisition front, the losses at Comcast’s legacy cable unit were similarly predictable.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
31 July 2025
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Now, both parties are stepping up their efforts to win control of state legislatures across the country, shining a fresh light on races that have long been considered sleepy affairs.—
Kristina Karisch,
The Hill,
31 July 2025
Adjective
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What should be a tender, feminist-minded story centered on a young woman rediscovering her dormant childhood dreamer turns into a middling melodrama about being with a cute guy in desperate need of her rescue.—
Courtney Howard,
Variety,
1 Aug. 2025
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After remission, cancer cells may remain dormant for years before spreading— notably in the lungs or other organs—and causing a relapse.—
Hannah Millington,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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But just because a stock has been quiescent for a while is no reason to disdain it.—
John Dorfman,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
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In the early 2000s, the U.S. invasion of Iraq united Iraqi Kurds in a quest to preserve their autonomy, and the rivalry in greater Kurdistan eclipsed the quiescent Kurdish rivalry within Iraq.—
Behnam Ben Taleblu,
Foreign Affairs,
8 Nov. 2017
Adjective
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Pete Crow-Armstrong, Justin Turner and more were in attendance, taking advantage of the Cubs having an off day after several of them put in a shift signing autographs at The National earlier in the day.—
The Athletic Collectibles Staff,
New York Times,
1 Aug. 2025
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The attacker, 27-year-old Shane Devon Tamura, entered the office tower with an assault rifle and body armor, fatally shooting a security guard, a Blackstone executive, a Rudin Management associate, and an off-duty NYPD officer before taking his own life.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
31 July 2025
Adjective
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The only other real difference was that the no-sugar version looked shinier and gummier, whereas the originals were a bit duller in comparison.—
Lisa DeSantis,
Glamour,
29 July 2025
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Changeable conditions usually make for exciting races, but 2025 was a bit dull.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
28 July 2025
Adjective
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As the area was settled, Papago Park was mostly vacant.—
Shelby Slade,
AZCentral.com,
25 July 2025
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After hosting pop ups at Batch and elsewhere for a couple of years, Lit offered Fulco the vacant trailer space at Batch.—
Matthew Odam,
Austin American Statesman,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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Originally supposed to fly Sierra Space Dream Chaser test flight, but payload switched to an inert mass simulator because of potential Dream Chaser delays beyond October launch date.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
23 July 2025
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The code, though, is now inert, and the AI won’t ever let it be performed.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
15 July 2025
Adjective
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Those with a relationship cash value of less than $250,000 can get 0.15% APY on their idle funds, while the largest accounts – those with $10 million or above in cash balances – can pick up 2.28%.—
Darla Mercado, CFP®,
CNBC,
22 July 2025
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Years passed and the farming operation fizzled, then the barn sat idle for nearly three decades.—
Pamela McLoughlin,
Hartford Courant,
17 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inactive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inactive. Accessed 7 Aug. 2025.
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