1
as in inertia
lack of action or activity
the inactivity outside the school led me to think that it must have been vacation week
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 inactivity
The full list includes things like obesity, physical inactivity, and social isolation—but not sleep.
—
Arianna Huffington, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
Luckily, their inactivity lasted only two-and-a-half years as each member gained a newfound appreciation for the band during its absence.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025
Incorporating short walks, stretching or light exercises throughout the day can interrupt long periods of inactivity and offer significant health benefits.
—Jack McNamara, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
In addition to age (65 and up), factors that increase the risk of severe COVID include chronic conditions like diabetes, HIV, and heart, lung, or kidney disease; being overweight or having obesity; and behaviors like smoking or physical inactivity.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 23 Sep. 2025
Modern triggers such as dietary excess, psychological stress, environmental pollutants, and physical inactivity can sustain immune activation, thereby contributing to the chronic inflammation associated with aging and disease.
—William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
PayPal users can now send or receive money using one-time shareable links that work across various messaging apps and expire after 10 days of inactivity.
—PC Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
By contrast, physical inactivity didn’t appear to make a significant difference.
—New Atlas, 10 Sep. 2025
In addition, the plan is to launch an education and awareness initiative on screen time, one of the causes of inactivity, which will be led by the surgeon general.
—Allison Aubrey, NPR, 9 Sep. 2025
Arianna Huffington, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
Luckily, their inactivity lasted only two-and-a-half years as each member gained a newfound appreciation for the band during its absence.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025
Incorporating short walks, stretching or light exercises throughout the day can interrupt long periods of inactivity and offer significant health benefits.
—Jack McNamara, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
In addition to age (65 and up), factors that increase the risk of severe COVID include chronic conditions like diabetes, HIV, and heart, lung, or kidney disease; being overweight or having obesity; and behaviors like smoking or physical inactivity.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 23 Sep. 2025
Modern triggers such as dietary excess, psychological stress, environmental pollutants, and physical inactivity can sustain immune activation, thereby contributing to the chronic inflammation associated with aging and disease.
—William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
PayPal users can now send or receive money using one-time shareable links that work across various messaging apps and expire after 10 days of inactivity.
—PC Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
By contrast, physical inactivity didn’t appear to make a significant difference.
—New Atlas, 10 Sep. 2025
In addition, the plan is to launch an education and awareness initiative on screen time, one of the causes of inactivity, which will be led by the surgeon general.
—Allison Aubrey, NPR, 9 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inactivity
Noun
-
And by the inertia of ownership.—
David Aldridge,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Character animations are slick, but reliable in their control and inertia — rarely leading to flubs caused by anything other than player error.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
27 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Trying to use last minute overirrigation to make up for a season of neglect — well, that’s not a recipe for anything overly spectacular.—
Paul Cappiello,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Youth who are committed to a detention center are more likely than other juveniles to have suffered abuse and neglect, and strip searches can retraumatize them.—
Shelly Bradbury,
Denver Post,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Yet, members of Congress continue to receive their salaries and benefits, insulated from the consequences of their inaction.—
Kate Plummer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Every day of inaction brings us closer to a crisis.—
Tesfaye Negussie,
ABC News,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
As the demand for Ghana’s goods decreased, so did the need for the industrial railway line, leading to its disuse.—
Edna Bonhomme,
Artforum,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The muscles in his arms started to atrophy from disuse.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
This patience is watchfulness, not idleness.—
Francois Botha,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
All of which could lead to so much work that a man like Wyatt Harper might never have another day of idleness again.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The investigation into the baby's abandonment is ongoing, with police asking anyone with information to come forward.—
Becca Longmire,
PEOPLE,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Beneath her white coat and calm demeanor lived a woman weathered by trauma, grief, and emotional abandonment.—
Connie Etemadi,
USA Today,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inactivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inactivity. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share