stagnant

adjective

stag·​nant ˈstag-nənt How to pronounce stagnant (audio)
1
a(1)
: not flowing in a current or stream
stagnant water
(2)
: without inflow and outflow
a stagnant pool
b
: stale
long disuse had made the air stagnant and foulBram Stoker
2
: not advancing or developing
a stagnant economy
stagnancy noun
stagnantly adverb

Examples of stagnant in a Sentence

… many people who make their living in academia are reasonably well insulated from financial devastation. For most tenured faculty, the worst they are likely to experience is stagnant pay and deferred retirement. Andrew Delbanco, The New York Review of Books, 14 May 2009
"For adults, entertainment needs to be relevant to their life." Chen points to the stagnant US comic book industry as an example of irrelevance. "I don't want to see video games become like American superhero comics," he admits. "American comics live and die based on a very niche audience. In Japan, comics are a national art form." Sid Shuman, Gamepro, May 2009
The blue-green algae blooms can occur in both freshwater and saltwater environments, but are most commonly found in stagnant bodies of water enriched by runoff, Paerl said. Public health officials in the southeastern United States are beginning to monitor water supplies for some of the toxins. Bridget M. Kuehn, Journal of the American Medical Association, 25 May 2005
Recent Examples on the Web Organic buildup was inside of an ice chute, and there were utensils in stagnant water, the report said. Jacqueline Pinedo, Sacramento Bee, 22 Mar. 2024 Stoney’s record mostly shines outside of the Wave’s two semifinals losses that owed in large part to stagnant offense. Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Mar. 2024 There are fears that an AMOC shutdown would mean oxygen-rich surface waters would no longer mix with deeper waters, leading to a stagnant ocean largely devoid of life. Laura Paddison, CNN, 12 Mar. 2024 After the levee break flooded Leonardo Torres-Gonzalez’s street, the moisture from the rain and stagnant water led to the black mold plaguing his apartment. Luis Melecio-Zambrano, The Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2024 The stagnant water behind the dams became a toxic stew of green algae. Ben Tracy, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2024 Clearly not able to capitalize on the acquisition of Viv eight years ago, Samsung now plans to inject its stagnant, unloved assistant with generative AI and large language models. Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 2 Mar. 2024 Issues like the rising cost of rents – and eggs – and stagnant incomes rank higher for her than immigration. USA TODAY, 29 Feb. 2024 Whirlpool stock was relatively stagnant in Monday trading, while Zions Bancorporation stock climbed 2%. William Gavin, Quartz, 4 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stagnant.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see stagnate

First Known Use

1610, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler
The first known use of stagnant was in 1610

Dictionary Entries Near stagnant

Cite this Entry

“Stagnant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stagnant. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

stagnant

adjective
stag·​nant ˈstag-nənt How to pronounce stagnant (audio)
1
: not flowing in a current or stream : motionless
2
: not active or brisk
stagnant business
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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