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
In a new study, pregnant women who moved more and sat less throughout the day had up to a 50 percent lower risk of pregnancy complications than women who were more sedentary.
—
Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 28 May 2026
Instead, many believe a combination of chronic stress, poor sleep, sedentary behavior, movement dysfunction, nervous system overload, hormonal shifts, inflammation, and modern lifestyle patterns may all be contributing to the growing conversation around physical discomfort and recovery.
—Meggen Harris, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Well-fed, sedentary king penguins age faster than wild ones.
—Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
The research, which was published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine in March, found that replacing mentally passive sedentary behavior with mentally active sedentary behavior was associated with a significant reduction in dementia risk.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sedentary
Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 28 May 2026
Instead, many believe a combination of chronic stress, poor sleep, sedentary behavior, movement dysfunction, nervous system overload, hormonal shifts, inflammation, and modern lifestyle patterns may all be contributing to the growing conversation around physical discomfort and recovery.
—Meggen Harris, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Well-fed, sedentary king penguins age faster than wild ones.
—Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
The research, which was published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine in March, found that replacing mentally passive sedentary behavior with mentally active sedentary behavior was associated with a significant reduction in dementia risk.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 25 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for sedentary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sedentary
Adjective
-
But Richmond’s James River stretch also offers calm stretches of flat water near the city center that are ideal for a lazy river tube run.—
Terry Ward,
Travel + Leisure,
17 June 2026
-
Then the release, the arrival, the return to self, and a lazy, funny sort of shyness.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
Prosecutors in Sacramento alleged that Williamson and at least two others conspired to funnel funds from former Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra's dormant campaign account.—
Sarah N. Lynch,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
-
Williamson admitted to diverting $225,000 from a dormant Beccera campaign account to Sean McCluskie, Becerra’s longtime chief of staff.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
At some point, sleepy teenagers make their way into the kitchen, lured by the aroma of whatever their mom has decided to bake before dawn.—
Julie Jordan,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 June 2026
-
Ferries make regular runs to the sleepy island community located 40 or so miles off the coast of the New England mainland — weather permitting, of course.—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
15 June 2026
Adjective
-
Because the layout and internal computing architecture can be altered, operators can model multiple power generation technologies rather than relying on a single static layout.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
17 June 2026
-
The launch came less than 12 hours after Blue Origin suffered an explosion on the pad 6 miles south at Launch Complex 36 during a static fire test of a New Glenn first stage.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
Agathe finds her boss’s remarks dull, but more or less shares these views.—
Hannah Gold,
New Yorker,
17 June 2026
-
Dish soap strips away the protective wax and can actually dull or damage the paint over time, leaving it more vulnerable to scratches and fading.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
16 June 2026
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
Adjective
-
The highly effective treatment involves sterilizing screwworm pupae -- the immobile stage of the screwworm before metamorphosis -- by exposing them to gamma radiation and then releasing them into the wild to mate with fertile females.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
-
Scales are immobile for much of their life, appearing as small tan to gray bumps.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
11 June 2026
Adjective
-
Brockermeyer, an undrafted rookie from Miami, earned first-team snaps in an OTA practice where Neuzil was inactive.—
Daniel Flick,
AJC.com,
19 June 2026
-
Cooper explains that while scientists have documented placebo responses for centuries, the phenomenon gained broader recognition in the early 20th century as researchers realized patients often improved even after receiving inactive treatments.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sedentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sedentary. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
