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 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 Experts have long agreed that children are getting more sedentary, likely driven by access to screens and time constraints on parents. — Chelsea Cirruzzo, STAT, 2 July 2026 Experts said the strategy is a simple, sustainable way to counteract a sedentary lifestyle and support overall health. — Allison Forsyth, Health, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for sedentary

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sedentary

Adjective

The pieces are made for lazy days by the pool and stays at the chicest hotels in the world.

— Harriet Elton, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 July 2026
Okay, the Fourth of July is over, and now we’re settled into the lazy, hazy days of summer.

— Janet Kusterer, Baltimore Sun, 10 July 2026

Definition of lazy

Adjective

For the better part of a decade, the feud lay relatively dormant.

— Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 15 July 2026
Aim to water aloe vera about every two to three weeks during summer months and once a month or less when the plant is dormant in winter.

— Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 14 July 2026

Definition of dormant

Adjective

Las Terrenas does not ask you to choose between sleepy Caribbean escape and worldly energy.

— Rafael Peña, Miami Herald, 15 July 2026
De Niro and Scott are on hand as an estranged father and son who are brought back together when Scott’s character’s young son is abducted after the pair move back to his sleepy hometown after a horrible tragedy.

— Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 14 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

Doctors said the lack of blood flow made a small spot in the front left hemisphere of his brain inactive, but those functions could rewire to another region over time.

— Claire Harutunian, Charlotte Observer, 15 July 2026
Like the police report in Sebold’s assault, those cases had also been quickly consigned to the inactive file.

— ProPublica, ProPublica, 14 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 18 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of sedentary

adjective

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