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
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Recent Examples of inactivity
Under league guidelines, a player in the concussion protocol must have at least 48 hours of inactivity and recovery and then hit several benchmarks without symptoms before being cleared to play.
—
ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026
Currently, states can take custody of financial accounts after a set period of inactivity — often as short as three years — even if the owner is still alive and unaware their assets are at risk of being transferred.
—Richard Ramos, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
Factors that can worsen constipation include dehydration, low-fiber breakfasts, and morning inactivity.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 16 Apr. 2026
The flosser can turn itself off after a few seconds of inactivity.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026
These invasive pests come indoors in the fall looking for a cool, dry place to survive the winter in a state of inactivity called diapause.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2026
Factors such as diet, stress, and inactivity can raise cholesterol levels.
—Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 1 Apr. 2026
Warming temperatures from climate change will likely lead to high levels of physical inactivity in the future, which could have significant public health implications.
—Devika Rao, TheWeek, 23 Mar. 2026
Chloé Farand summed it up for the Guardian, noting the researchers’ projection of 500,000 additional annual deaths due to inactivity by 2050.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026
Currently, states can take custody of financial accounts after a set period of inactivity — often as short as three years — even if the owner is still alive and unaware their assets are at risk of being transferred.
—Richard Ramos, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
Factors that can worsen constipation include dehydration, low-fiber breakfasts, and morning inactivity.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 16 Apr. 2026
The flosser can turn itself off after a few seconds of inactivity.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2026
These invasive pests come indoors in the fall looking for a cool, dry place to survive the winter in a state of inactivity called diapause.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2026
Factors such as diet, stress, and inactivity can raise cholesterol levels.
—Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 1 Apr. 2026
Warming temperatures from climate change will likely lead to high levels of physical inactivity in the future, which could have significant public health implications.
—Devika Rao, TheWeek, 23 Mar. 2026
Chloé Farand summed it up for the Guardian, noting the researchers’ projection of 500,000 additional annual deaths due to inactivity by 2050.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inactivity
Noun
-
The Cuban model isn’t working, and its allies—China, Russia, and the pragmatic wing of Latin American progressivism—seem to have grown tired of the government’s inertia.—
Carlos Manuel Alvarez,
Time,
24 Apr. 2026
-
In space, only inertia causes objects to move.—
Chelsea Gohd,
Space.com,
20 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Cornelius endorsed the revitalization plan in 2022, which seeks to modernize the area and fix problems stemming from long-term neglect.—
Nick Sullivan,
Charlotte Observer,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Strength in one pillar supports the others; neglect in one weakens all three.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In the crucial, early hours and days following the disaster, silence and inaction placed thousands at risk.—
Benjamin Mack-Jackson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Apr. 2026
-
OpenAI’s inaction, the lawsuits allege, was a business decision spurred by the potential future liability that reporting troubling interactions like Van Rootselaar’s would invite, and how that liability could stand to impact the company’s ongoing momentum toward an IPO.—
Maggie Harrison Dupré,
Futurism,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Prior to redevelopment, the building showed significant deterioration after years of disuse.—
J.M. Banks,
Kansas City Star,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Yet the upper body can more easily fall into disuse.—
Lisa Jarvis,
Twin Cities,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Spending healthy years in idleness isn’t good for you.—
Editorial Board,
Washington Post,
14 Feb. 2026
-
DeJean, who recorded the game-changing pick-six in Super Bowl LIX, couldn’t comprehend postseason idleness.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
That abandonment is even more damaging in a country like Cuba, which has run a global propaganda campaign based on its social achievements.—
Sarah Moreno
Updated April 29,
Miami Herald,
29 Apr. 2026
-
News of the abandonments has prompted outrage on social media, with many calling for the person to be prosecuted when caught.—
Mark Price,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inactivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inactivity. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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