stagnant

[stag-nuhnt]

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

stagnant

/ 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

Other Word Forms

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of stagnant¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of stagnant¹

C17: from Latin stagnāns , from stagnāre to be stagnant, from stagnum a pool

Example Sentences

“There was a lot of creation in it. It felt like it wasn’t stagnant.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Earlier this week, Home Depot reported lower third-quarter profit and trimmed its full-year outlook, as economic uncertainty, high interest rates and a stagnant housing market prompted homeowners to scale back home improvements.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Home improvement activity has sagged as a stagnant housing market, high interest rates and general uncertainty about the economic environment led homeowners to delay remodeling and repair projects.

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The catalysts are evident: inflation, high interest rates, a bleak job market, wealth inequality and stagnant wages.

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There’s no breeze down here—just stagnant humidity, pressing down on us.

Read more on Literature

Related Words

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