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 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

And Congress ought to be – Congress ought to get up off its ice-cold lazy butt and cut it itself.

— CBS News, CBS News, 27 Sep. 2026
With a lazy summer in our rear view and hectic school and job schedules around the bend, ‘tis the season for overworking ourselves.

— Cheryl Fenton, Flow Space, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of lazy

Adjective

The administration has also intervened on behalf of Sable Offshore, allowing the company to revive a long-dormant pipeline off the coast of Santa Barbara despite objections from California officials and regulators.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 29 Sep. 2026
During fall, many of the plants in your garden shed their leaves and go dormant in preparation for colder winter weather.

— Abby Monteil, The Spruce, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of dormant

Adjective

Illustration by Patricia Bolaños In sleepy South Slope, a local son in search of a beer bar walked past a familiar, long-shuttered laundromat.

— Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2026
Carlotta and Dedo have to do everything in their power to prove her innocence and avoid losing her again, with their investigation taking them to the heart of their sleepy suburban town, Sundersheim.

— Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of sleepy

Adjective

Gently Scrape It Off Once the wax has fully hardened, use a dull tool, like as a butter knife or hard plastic spatula, to gently lift it off the fabric.

— Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2026
No stranger to the brand’s lineup (hey, Ginseng Essence Water and Revive Serum), ginseng is a key ingredient in this formula, helping to brighten dull skin, boost circulation, and provide all the calming vibes.

— Sarah Han, Allure, 24 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

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 2 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

heterodox

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

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

'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

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 2

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes