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.
And experts elsewhere predict continued market-share growth for hybrids over the next five years, while EV sales could be stagnant.
From MarketWatch • Jul. 5, 2026
The same stagnant air that intensifies the heat can also worsen air quality by trapping pollutants close to the surface.
From Salon • Jul. 3, 2026
Investors are growing more confident that cooling inflation and a stagnant job market will discourage the Federal Reserve from raising interest rates later this year, a move that would weigh on stocks.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 2, 2026
To what extent is a stagnant economic picture, dating back to the financial crisis of nearly 20 years ago to blame?
From BBC • Jun. 26, 2026
It was a routine conversation which was not going to bring about any break in the stagnant war.
From "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
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.
