inactive

adjective

in·​ac·​tive (ˌ)i-ˈnak-tiv How to pronounce inactive (audio)
Synonyms of inactivenext
: not active: such as
a(1)
: sedentary
(2)
: indolent, sluggish
b(1)
: being out of use
an inactive mine
a bank's inactive accounts
(2)
: relating to or being members of the armed forces who are not performing or available for military duties
(3)
: not involved in activities of a group or organization
an inactive member
(4)
of a disease : quiescent
(5)
of a volcano : no longer capable of erupting
c(1)
: chemically inert
(2)
: optically neutral in polarized light
d
: biologically inert especially because of the loss of some quality (such as infectivity or antigenicity)
inactively adverb
inactivity
(ˌ)i-ˌnak-ˈti-və-tē How to pronounce inactive (audio)
noun

Synonyms of inactive

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for inactive

inactive, idle, inert, passive, supine mean not engaged in work or activity.

inactive applies to anyone or anything not in action or in operation or at work.

on inactive status as an astronaut
inactive accounts

idle applies to persons that are not busy or occupied or to their powers or their implements.

workers were idle in the fields

inert as applied to things implies powerlessness to move or to affect other things; as applied to persons it suggests an inherent or habitual indisposition to activity.

inert ingredients in drugs
an inert citizenry

passive implies immobility or lack of normally expected response to an external force or influence and often suggests deliberate submissiveness or self-control.

passive resistance

supine applies only to persons and commonly implies abjectness or indolence.

a supine willingness to play the fool

Examples of inactive in a Sentence

Inactive people suffer higher rates of heart disease. it's easiest to catch snakes early in the morning, while they're still cold and inactive
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
There have been periodic stretches when the Jayhawks were inactive. — Steve Appleford, SPIN, 31 Aug. 2026 Since retiring in 2022, Federer has watched Venus Williams, 46, return from inactive to active and Serena Williams, 44, evolve back into tennis. — Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 If a vested veteran - a player with four or more years of NFL experience - is on the active, or inactive roster for the first game of the season their entire contract becomes guaranteed. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2026 The service has also examined transferring crews from inactive submarines to operational boats. — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for inactive

Word History

First Known Use

1664, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of inactive was in 1664

Rhymes for inactive

See All Rhymes for inactive

Browse Nearby Words

inactivate
inactive
inactively
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Inactive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inactive. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

inactive

adjective
in·​ac·​tive (ˈ)in-ˈak-tiv How to pronounce inactive (audio)
: not active: as
a
: slow to move or act : sluggish
b
: being out of use or activity
an inactive mine
an inactive volcano
c
: inert
argon is chemically inactive
inactively adverb

Medical Definition

inactive

adjective
in·​ac·​tive (ˈ)in-ˈak-tiv How to pronounce inactive (audio)
: not active: as
a
: marked by deliberate or enforced absence of activity or effort
forced by illness to lead an inactive life
b
of a disease : not progressing or fulminant : quiescent
c(1)
: chemically inert
inactive charcoal
(2)
: not exhibiting optical activity in polarized light
d
: biologically inert especially because of the loss of some quality (as infectivity or antigenicity)
inactivity
(ˌ)in-ˌak-ˈtiv-ət-ē How to pronounce inactive (audio)
noun
plural inactivities
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All