stagnant

[stag-nuhnt]

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

stagnant

/ 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

Other Word Forms

• stagnancy noun
• stagnance noun
• stagnantly adverb
• unstagnant adjective
• unstagnantly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of stagnant¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of stagnant¹

C17: from Latin stagnāns , from stagnāre to be stagnant, from stagnum a pool

Example Sentences

Its water usually sits stagnant, attracting swarms of gnats to the field during the more humid months of the year.

From Los Angeles Times

The department’s maintenance and operations budget has been stagnant for years and its staff has been shrinking, with more trouble on the horizon as temporary funding sources dry up in the next few years.

From Los Angeles Times

Considering that they grew up in a stagnant culture suffused with right-wing propaganda, holding liberal views is by no means certain.

From Salon

Its share price dropped considerably at the start of the year and has been stagnant since.

From BBC

They say his tariffs and crackdown on immigrants risk a return of 1970s-esque "stagflation", when a sudden oil shock prompted stagnant growth and spiralling prices, except this time the crisis would be self-inflicted.

From BBC

Related Words

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