stagnant
Americanadjective
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(of water, etc) standing still; without flow or current
-
brackish and foul from standing still
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stale, sluggish, or dull from inaction
-
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.
“Young adults respond rationally to inflation and stagnant wages” doesn’t inspire quite the same existential panic as “Gen Z killed nightlife,” but it’s probably closer to the truth.
From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026
“And that they’ve been gaslit into thinking that they’re stagnant when they actually just know who they are,” says Stewart.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
What they show right now is a stagnant but steady labor market.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
Meanwhile, fashion brands are trying to win back shoppers’ interest after two years of stagnant sales that followed a pandemic-era boom in luxury spending.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026
In the abandoned ornamental garden, Rahel, watched by lolling dwarfs and a forsaken cherub, squatted by the stagnant pond and watched toads hop from stone to scummy stone.
From "The God of Small Things" by Arundhati Roy
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.
