inertness

noun

Definition of inertnessnext
as in inertia
lack of action or activity the noticeable inertness of the campus on weekends, when most of the students go home

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 inertness So a material known for its inertness suddenly shows its true colors and starts to react and act as a catalyst. — Chris Lee, ArsTechnica, 9 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inertness
  1. inertia
  2. inaction
Noun
  • On one level, these results might seem like a recipe for legislative inertia and policy stagnation.
    — the Monitor's Editorial Board, Christian Science Monitor, 9 Nov. 2026
  • Max Murray, of North Liberty, staffed the station to help participants learn about inertia and motion.
    — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of inertia
Noun
  • Exasperated and furious over their inaction, Heumann and a group of disability activists staged a sit-in at the San Francisco Health, Education and Welfare federal building on Apr 5, 1977.
    — Barry Levitt, Time, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The landscape prior to the New Deal was one of government inaction.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of inaction

Browse Nearby Words

inertia
inertness
inescapable
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inertness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inertness. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of lissome

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Nov. 13

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
speech-bubble-untangle
Simplify The Convoluted Expression Quiz A quiz that’s as “uncomplicated as a round de...
See All