stagnant
Americanadjective
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(of water, etc) standing still; without flow or current
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brackish and foul from standing still
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stale, sluggish, or dull from inaction
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not growing or developing; static
Other Word 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.
Luxury home sales have increased this spring against an otherwise stagnant market.
From Barron's • May 19, 2026
That has been even slower in recent years, reflecting stagnant living standards.
From BBC • May 14, 2026
The bloodlust around the high-profile tit-for-tat obscured the fact that commercial hip-hop had become stagnant.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra has ascended and she remained stagnant in polls following Swalwell’s exit, Porter has increasingly sought to redeem her image.
From Los Angeles Times • May 11, 2026
Around me the air is stagnant, despite the little current, the breath coming in past the curtains.
From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
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.
