sedentary
adjective
sed·en·tary
ˈse-dᵊn-ˌter-ē 
1
: not migratory : settled
sedentary birds
sedentary civilizations
2
a
: doing or requiring much sitting
a sedentary job
b
: not physically active
a sedentary lifestyle
3
: permanently attached
sedentary barnacles
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Sit and Learn About Sedentary
Sedentary comes from Latin sedēre, meaning "to sit." Other descendants of sedēre include dissident, insidious, preside, reside, and subsidy. Sedēre is also the base of the rare sedens, a noun meaning "a person who remains a resident of the place or region of his or her birth."
Examples of sedentary in a Sentence
Editing the dictionary is a sedentary job.
The work is very sedentary.
Their health problems were caused by their sedentary lifestyles.
He became sedentary later on in his life.
Recent Examples on the Web
Elevate Ergonomics To Reduce Back Pain: Curate a Spine-Centric Workspace and Be Mindful of Your Phone
Spinal strain often arises from two extremes: the physical demands of manual labor and the sedentary lifestyle of desk work.
—
Richard Menger Md Mpa, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025
In addition to advancing age and diets low in protein, other risk factors for osteoporosis include low calcium and vitamin D intake, hormone changes, a sedentary lifestyle, and certain health conditions (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis).
—Colleen Doherty, Verywell Health, 18 Dec. 2024
Stretch And Mobility Breaks Many modern jobs are predominantly sedentary, and it has been found that roughly nearly 40% of adults in the U.S. experience back pain.
—John Graham Harper, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
People with diabetes can lower their odds of developing clots by addressing other factors that increase risk, such as obesity, high blood pressure, and a sedentary lifestyle, Hamdy notes.
—Lisa Rapaport, EverydayHealth.com, 9 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sedentary 
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Richard Menger Md Mpa, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025
In addition to advancing age and diets low in protein, other risk factors for osteoporosis include low calcium and vitamin D intake, hormone changes, a sedentary lifestyle, and certain health conditions (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis).
—Colleen Doherty, Verywell Health, 18 Dec. 2024
Stretch And Mobility Breaks Many modern jobs are predominantly sedentary, and it has been found that roughly nearly 40% of adults in the U.S. experience back pain.
—John Graham Harper, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024
People with diabetes can lower their odds of developing clots by addressing other factors that increase risk, such as obesity, high blood pressure, and a sedentary lifestyle, Hamdy notes.
—Lisa Rapaport, EverydayHealth.com, 9 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for sedentary
Dictionary Entries Near sedentary
Cite this Entry
“Sedentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sedentary. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sedentary
adjective
sed·en·tary
ˈsed-ᵊn-ˌter-ē
1
: not migratory : settled
sedentary birds
2
: doing or requiring much sitting
a sedentary job
Medical Definition
sedentary
adjective
sed·en·tary
ˈsed-ᵊn-ˌter-ē
: doing or requiring much sitting : characterized by a lack of physical activity
increased risk of heart disease for those with sedentary jobs
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