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 Exercise helps individuals maintain lean tissue, Evans said, so in sedentary individuals, reducing protein intake could speed up muscle loss over time. — Lauren Chan, STAT, 20 Aug. 2026 Lifestyle factors associated with higher risk include sedentary habits, being overweight, smoking, heavy alcohol use, and diets low in fiber and high in fat or processed meats. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2026 Adult mussels are largely sedentary, capable only of limited repositioning about their points of attachment. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Aug. 2026 No one knows when a sedentary 75-year-old economist will kick the bucket or a derecho wind will blow the roof off a Roseville retirement condo, but there are actuarial records giving probabilities for either happening. — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 16 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sedentary

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sedentary

Adjective

But whereas The Holdovers’s Paul Hunham despises his lazy, pampered students, The Debut’s Jerry Blankenbuehler has a determination to summon theatrical magic out of his meager cast.

— Joe Reid, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
In places at low to moderate risk of fire, along the edges of flat valleys and lazy hills, growth in the FAIR Plan is ballooning, and it is being used to underwrite new suburban development.

— Paige St. John, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of lazy

Adjective

Meanwhile, the current owner of the inn took her children to the farmers market in the square across from the dormant building every Saturday throughout their childhoods.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
Apply a summer-weight dormant oil to your pachysandra during the crawler stages for more control.

— Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of dormant

Adjective

Talbots is on the move again after years of being among the sleepier brands in retail.

— David Moin, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026
Long Beach Island offers sandy Atlantic beaches, sleepy residential enclaves, family-friendly attractions, and classic seafood spots without heading out East.

— Lindsay Cohn, Travel + Leisure, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of sleepy

Adjective

Brands that treat their product data as a static, one-time setup task are going to fall behind here.

— Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026
Rather than treating cryptography as static infrastructure, organizations must treat it as an operational asset that requires continuous monitoring, governance, inventory, prioritization and life cycle management.

— Evgeny Gervis, Forbes.com, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of static

Adjective

They were illuminated as dull streaks of red, as the group’s flashlights were covered with red tape to reduce the light.

— Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 19 Sep. 2026
Prime Video continues to be one of the most baffling streaming services, from dull originals like Reacher to a revolving catalogue of films that never saw the light of an actual movie theater.

— Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 19 Sep. 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

The electrons separate, become largely immobile, and also organize themselves into relatively orderly patterns.

— Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 18 Sep. 2026
The magician—and apparently her family, down through the generations—is responsible for keeping this creature at bay by binding it to a living body that remains immobile.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of immobile

Adjective

New York has starter Geno Smith and rookie Cade Kubnik, a fourth-rounder, on its active roster, so Levis would be the third-string quarterback and inactive on game day unless he's promoted from the practice squad.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Sep. 2026
Campbell has been inactive for the Dolphins’ first two games and is the team’s only offensive lineman not on the first or second team, according to the depth chart.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of inactive

Browse Nearby Words

sedatives

sedentary

sediment

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“Sedentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sedentary. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of sedentary

adjective

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