stagnant

American  

[stag-nuhnt] / ˈstæg nənt /

adjective

1. not flowing or running, as water, air, etc.

2. stale or foul from standing, as a pool of water.

3. characterized by lack of development, advancement, or progressive movement.

   a stagnant economy.

4. inactive, sluggish, or dull.

   Synonyms:

   lazy, inert, dead, lifeless, dormant

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stagnant British  

/ ˈstæɡnənt /

adjective

1. (of water, etc) standing still; without flow or current

2. brackish and foul from standing still

3. stale, sluggish, or dull from inaction

4. not growing or developing; static

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Other Word Forms

• stagnance noun
• stagnancy noun
• stagnantly adverb
• unstagnant adjective
• unstagnantly adverb

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”; stagnate

Example Sentences

Luxury stocks have struggled in recent years due to stagnant growth in China, a major market for many of the sector’s flagship names.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

Deflation often has been associated with Japan, which experienced stagnant or falling prices from the 1990s through 2022.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

And with Italy's economy already stagnant, many people are concerned about the war's impact on their energy costs.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

This study rules out the stagnant lid idea, showing that Earth's surface was already divided into moving pieces.

From Science Daily • Mar. 21, 2026

A bloodred flamingo holds its black-tipped beak over stagnant water.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

Related Words

• dormant
• idle
• inactive
• lifeless
• listless
• sluggish
• static
• stationary