stagnate

verb

stag·​nate ˈstag-ˌnāt How to pronounce stagnate (audio)
stagnated; stagnating

intransitive verb

: to become or remain stagnant

Examples of stagnate in a Sentence

a puddle of stagnating water
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.
Wages have stagnated while housing, child care and food costs have climbed. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 6 May 2025 Yet many experts figure the economy will stagnate within a few months and a growing share foresee a recession by the second half of 2025. Paul Davidson, USA Today, 1 May 2025 The impact of high interest rates, a skyrocketing housing market and stagnating wages mean that Millennials and Gen-Z in particular are feeling the squeeze. Gary Drenik, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025 Apple already faces pressure over its slow rollout of artificial intelligence features and stagnating hardware innovation. Lisa Setyon,katie Tarasov, CNBC, 11 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stagnate

Word History

Etymology

Latin stagnatus, past participle of stagnare, from stagnum body of standing water

First Known Use

1661, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stagnate was in 1661

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stagnate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stagnate. Accessed 12 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

stagnate

verb
stag·​nate ˈstag-ˌnāt How to pronounce stagnate (audio)
stagnated; stagnating
: to be or become stagnant
stagnation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on stagnate

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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