stagnate

American  

[stag-neyt] / ˈstæg neɪt /

verb (used without object)

stagnated, stagnating

1. to cease to run or flow, as water, air, etc.

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

3. to stop developing, growing, progressing, or advancing.

   My mind is stagnating from too much TV.

4. to be or become sluggish and dull.

   When the leading lady left, the show started to stagnate.

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verb (used with object)

stagnated, stagnating

1. to make stagnant.

stagnate British  

/ stæɡˈneɪt, ˈstæɡˌneɪt /

verb

1. (intr) to be or to become stagnant

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Other Word Forms

• stagnation noun
• stagnatory adjective
• unstagnating adjective

Etymology

Origin of stagnate

1660–70; < Latin stāgnātus (past participle of stāgnāre ), equivalent to stāgn ( um ) pool of standing water + -ātus -ate ¹

Example Sentences

The fresh concerns over inflation come as Britain's economy has stagnated and its labour market remains weak.

From Barron's

Wage growth is concentrated at the top, while median wages stagnate.

From MarketWatch

Production output slipped on month in January, while services stagnated, according to the ONS.

From The Wall Street Journal

But these days, stagnating wages, youth unemployment and a years-long property crisis are making consumers rethink their spending.

From Barron's

And even if you’ve got insurance, a lot of dentists don’t accept it because the reimbursements have stagnated as their costs have spiked.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• fester
• hibernate
• languish
• stall
• stand still