stagnant
Americanadjective
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(of water, etc) standing still; without flow or current
-
brackish and foul from standing still
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stale, sluggish, or dull from inaction
-
not growing or developing; static
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of stagnant
First recorded in 1660–70; from Latin stāgnant-, stem of stāgnāns “forming a pool,” present participle of stāgnāre “to form a pool of standing water, be inundated”; see stagnate
Explanation
There is a tone to the word stagnant that sounds like what it is: lacking movement, stale, and inactive, especially with exaggerated pronunciation, "staaaagnant." Stagnant came into use in the 17th century as a description for water or air that wasn't moving or circulating, like in a scum-covered pond or a closed-off room. Often things that are stagnant also have a smell from sitting too long in one place. Not that this happens to everyone, but sitting in front of a TV playing video games without moving more than the fingers can make a person stagnant, sometimes with an accompanying odor.
Vocabulary lists containing stagnant
List 1
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Esperanza Rising
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Vocabulary from the Third and Final Presidential Debate, October 19, 2016
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Stagnant lid: A tectonic state where the planet's outer shell is rigid and unmoving, with very little surface recycling compared to modern plate tectonics.
From Science Daily • Dec. 4, 2025
Stagnant wage growth has long been an issue in Japan that policymakers have been pushing to address.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 10, 2025
Stagnant wage growth and high housing prices are common complaints among Taiwanese.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2025
Stagnant communities, by contrast, tend to homogenize over time, as people conform to the views of those around them.
From Salon • Mar. 26, 2025
Stagnant water and swampy spots provided the ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes, which spread malaria among the capital's residents during mild weather.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
