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

Amid a stagnant crypto market, that just might be enough to boost Bitcoin prices a bit higher.

From Barron's • Apr. 6, 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

Dany sent outriders ranging ahead of the column, but they found neither wells nor springs, only bitter pools, shallow and stagnant, shrinking in die hot sun.

From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin

Related Words

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