inaction

American  

[in-ak-shuhn] / ɪnˈæk ʃən /

noun

1. absence of action; idleness.

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inaction British  

/ ɪnˈækʃən /

noun

1. lack of action; idleness; inertia

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Etymology

Origin of inaction

First recorded in 1700–10; in- ³ + action

Example Sentences

Meghan Blanco, a former federal prosecutor and veteran defense attorney, suggested Gee’s inaction with Essayli might be a clever act of resistance.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 4, 2026

Second, behavioral therapy outcomes should be audited with the costs of inaction in mind.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

But overcoming that fear and engaging in collective action will build momentum, and a type of muscle memory, where the new rule becomes action and not inaction.

From Salon • Mar. 3, 2026

The authors concluded that sometimes an "individual seeing the inaction of others, will judge the situation as less serious than he would be if he were alone".

From BBC • Jan. 17, 2026

There was that butterfly feeling jumping in my gut, because ever since last fall I'd become overly hesitant and anxious, and every time I had to make a decision, I was stunned into wide-eyed inaction.

From "Tradition" by Brendan Kiely

Related Words

• inactivity
• inertia
• passivity
• stagnation