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.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 Compared to offspring born to sedentary parents, parental exercise granted protection against poor blood sugar levels and excess weight gain for an entire year after birth. — Diego Hernandez-Saavedra, The Conversation, 7 Oct. 2026 The rise of health issues such as obesity and high cholesterol can also contribute to the likelihood of having a stroke as well as a sedentary lifestyle, Robinson added. — Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2026 Regular exercisers tend to have lower baseline cortisol than sedentary individuals, and their post-workout spike resolves faster and more completely, according to research. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2026 High blood sugar and insulin resistance can alter the brain before problems are noticeable, and chronic inflammation, poor sleep, and a sedentary lifestyle can also negatively affect cognitive aging. — Allison Forsyth, HEALTH, 2 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sedentary

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sedentary

Adjective

Not because trainers are lazy, but because output feels controllable.

— Ben Plomion, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
While older generations may interpret limited eye contact, a flat expression or a pause before responding as rude, lazy or unprofessional, that might not be a younger person’s intent at all, Leahy said.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of lazy

Adjective

The issues may have been lying dormant The vulnerabilities have been known about since at least 2024, according to the PHP Foundation.

— Kaitlyn Huamani, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
So Hanawalt reactivated her dormant Facebook account and began scrolling through local horse sale groups.

— Rachel Brodsky, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of dormant

Adjective

Meanwhile, angry residents continue to flood once-sleepy municipal board meetings, pressuring officials to reject data center proposals.

— Marc Levy, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
What was once a boring, sleepy issue where the PUC made decisions more or less in a vacuum is no longer the case.

— Jordan Blum, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of sleepy

Adjective

To help make the project financially feasible for the developer, the city endorsed advertising on the building in the form of five static displays and one full-motion video billboard.

— Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
Ship 42 will also complete a series of tests as the next Starship launch approaches, including a static engine fire and final systems checks.

— Josh Dinner, Space.com, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of static

Adjective

Like scoops of an ocean unmarred by humans, quarts of seaweed soup sit next to other flavors like spicy beef and pine nut and soybean, a shade of creamy beige so calming, one glance is enough to effectively absolve the color of its dull reputation.

— Vanessa Anderson, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
If your skin's looking a little dull or feeling rough, the best alpha hydroxy acid products might be exactly what your routine is missing.

— Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of dull

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

As Ten’s lovelorn prison pen pal Lillian, an immobile shut-in, Peggy Fields Richardson initially appears to be a punchline, but goes on to deliver a nuanced turn as a woman who’s long awaited her chance at romance.

— Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Clots can also be caused by inactivity, such as sitting on a long flight or being immobile after surgery.

— Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of immobile

Adjective

When those forces are lacking, as is generally the case in softer tissue, YAP and TAZ remain inactive and stay put outside of the nucleus.

— Karin Wuertz-Kozak, The Conversation, 27 Oct. 2026
But in many cases, recovery doesn’t mean becoming completely inactive.

— Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of inactive

Browse Nearby Words

sedatives

sedentary

sediment

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Sedentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sedentary. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of sedentary

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

reticent

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

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

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes