inaction

noun

in·​ac·​tion (ˌ)i-ˈnak-shən 

: lack of action or activity : idleness

Synonyms

• dormancy
• idleness
• inactivity
• inertness
• nonaction
• quiescence

Examples of inaction in a Sentence

The protesters criticized the administration's inaction on environmental issues.

We must consider the consequences of continued inaction.

Recent Examples on the Web

The piece was impossible to grasp in its totality, much as the forces contributing to the deterioration of the environment are difficult for us as humans to apprehend, which pushes us toward inaction or neglect. —Naima Morelli, Artforum, 1 May 2025

The cost of inaction far outweighs the cost of implementation. —Richard Danforth, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025

Their silence and complicity in the face of a devastating constitutional crisis speak volumes, and their inaction will be remembered. —Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025

Workers were given a 2% raise when then-President Biden signed an executive order two days before Christmas, a move allowed because of Congress' inaction on permanent federal budgets. —John Kelly, Nancy Cordes, CBS News, 29 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1707, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for inaction

• abstraction
• attraction
• compaction
• contraction
• detraction
• diffraction
• distraction
• exaction
• extraction
• impaction
• infraction
• olfaction

Kids Definition

inaction

noun

in·​ac·​tion (ˈ)in-ˈak-shən 

: lack of action or activity : idleness