SEDENTARY Synonyms: 63 Similar and Opposite Words

sedentary

adjective

Definition of sedentary

as in lazy

not doing or involving a lot of physical activity They led a sedentary life after retirement, spending their days in front of the television.

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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 sedentary This group also spent less than two hours per day watching television, the study’s measure of sedentary behavior. — Dana Santas, CNN Money, 7 July 2026 Furthermore, modern sedentary lifestyles mean fundamental human movements are chronically undertrained, contributing directly to systemic stiffness and physical burnout. — Ginger Gentile, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026 After the six weeks of sleep deprivation, however, the participants had gained about a pound, on average, and their sedentary time had increased by an average of 17 minutes. — Mary Randolph, Scientific American, 6 July 2026 As a caveat, the authors added that the study can't prove that sedentary behavior directly causes cancer and that the wearable devices only tracked behavior during a limited period. — Adam England, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for sedentary

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sedentary

Adjective

In the nearly 90-second recording, Varela calls the customer service representative lazy, rude and racist and asks her for her name tag.

— Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026
Summer could be the perfect time to savor just about anything—from the long, lazy days to the farmers-market-fresh flavors.

— Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 20 July 2026

Definition of lazy

Adjective

But only a few days ago, this sleepy community was struck by tragedy when an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fatally shot Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero, a 25-year-old father and Colombian national.

— Carine Hajjar, Washington Post, 21 July 2026
The formerly sleepy economies of suburban Austin, Texas and Syracuse, NY are getting two new semiconductor chip plants.

— Adrian Ma, NPR, 21 July 2026

Definition of sleepy

Adjective

From an anti-static option to Super-Grip slip-resistant soles, the style has been embraced by professionals across a variety of fields, including medical professionals and chefs.

— Jaden Thompson, Footwear News, 17 July 2026
The company will support static-fire testing, hypersonic vehicles, kinetic effectors, energetics handling, and destructive testing.

— Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 17 July 2026

Definition of static

Adjective

That’s because when the body experiences physical stress, including losing weight quickly, more hairs can shift into a resting phase and fall out a few months later — typically two to three months after the event, Rossi explains.

— Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 17 Feb. 2026
This is a condition where, due to stress or hormonal changes, the body puts the hair follicles into a resting phase.

— Essence, Essence, 19 Dec. 2025

Definition of resting

Adjective

Sure, Lucky’s escape is nearly foiled by the fleet-of-foot federal agent, but the same could be said for dozens of similar encounters throughout the premiere, at more perilous junctures than a brief jog between immobile trailers.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 15 July 2026
Prosecutors allege prolonged neglect According to charging documents cited by WNEM-TV5, prosecutors allege Casper was immobile, was not provided proper medical care or adequate nutrition, and was forced to live in unsafe conditions before his death.

— Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 27 June 2026

Definition of immobile

Adjective

Jacobs was also inactive for two games — Week 12 with a knee injury and Week 18 as a healthy scratch.

— Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
But while such incidents remain extremely rare, there are now more than 18,000 active and inactive satellites in orbit — a number that has more than doubled in the past six years alone.

— Jackie Wattles, CNN Money, 22 July 2026

Definition of inactive

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sedatives

sedentary

sediment

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“Sedentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sedentary. Accessed 24 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of sedentary

adjective

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