stagnation
Americannoun
-
the state or condition of stagnating, or having stopped, as by ceasing to run or flow.
Meteorologists forecast ozone and air stagnation.
-
a foulness or staleness, as one emanating from a standing pool of water.
-
a failure to develop, progress, or advance.
periods of economic stagnation followed by bursts of growth.
-
the state or quality of being or feeling sluggish and dull.
Happily, they have been able to avoid stagnation in their ten-year marriage.
Etymology
Origin of stagnation
Explanation
Stagnation is the state of being still, or not moving, like a sitting puddle of water where stagnation attracts mosquitoes. The root of stagnation is the Latin word for "standing water," stagnatum. The stagnation of water can be a serious problem in parts of the world where mosquitoes spread diseases like malaria, or where there is a shortage of drinkable water. There are also other kinds of stagnation, or inactivity — like a struggling country's economic stagnation or a writer's mental stagnation that results in writer's block.
Vocabulary lists containing stagnation
"Letter from Birmingham Jail" by Martin Luther King, Jr. (1963)
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
President Trump's First State of The Union Address (2018)
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
myPerspectives 9.3
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Where the article stresses a sense of stagnation and managed decline, several campaigns cast the moment as an opening for large-scale structural change.
From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026
They are battling surging energy costs, fierce competition from China, and weak demand at a time when Europe's biggest economy is mired in a long stagnation.
From Barron's • May 17, 2026
To be sure, the greenback’s stagnation is not a simple story.
From MarketWatch • May 15, 2026
Germany’s BDI industrial association said the country’s industry faces stagnation at best this year due to the conflict.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 8, 2026
Durham! and as if by magic, everything springs into new life, the veins and arteries of business throw off their stagnation and the bright sun of prosperity sends its radiant beams out upon the world...
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
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.
