1
as in inertia
lack of action or activity
the inactivity outside the school led me to think that it must have been vacation week
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Recent Examples of inactivity
All points expire after 12 months of inactivity and Notes expire 12 months after they are issued.
—
Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2025
Its auto-pause technology is a special feature that prevents overheating by stopping airflow after three seconds of inactivity.
—Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, dementia, and even some cancers have all been linked to inactivity.
—Lauryn Higgins, Time, 6 Oct. 2025
Luckily, their inactivity lasted only two-and-a-half years as each member gained a newfound appreciation for the band during its absence.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025
Incorporating short walks, stretching or light exercises throughout the day can interrupt long periods of inactivity and offer significant health benefits.
—Jack McNamara, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
In addition to age (65 and up), factors that increase the risk of severe COVID include chronic conditions like diabetes, HIV, and heart, lung, or kidney disease; being overweight or having obesity; and behaviors like smoking or physical inactivity.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 23 Sep. 2025
Modern triggers such as dietary excess, psychological stress, environmental pollutants, and physical inactivity can sustain immune activation, thereby contributing to the chronic inflammation associated with aging and disease.
—William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
PayPal users can now send or receive money using one-time shareable links that work across various messaging apps and expire after 10 days of inactivity.
—PC Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Jason Stauffer, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2025
Its auto-pause technology is a special feature that prevents overheating by stopping airflow after three seconds of inactivity.
—Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, dementia, and even some cancers have all been linked to inactivity.
—Lauryn Higgins, Time, 6 Oct. 2025
Luckily, their inactivity lasted only two-and-a-half years as each member gained a newfound appreciation for the band during its absence.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 30 Sep. 2025
Incorporating short walks, stretching or light exercises throughout the day can interrupt long periods of inactivity and offer significant health benefits.
—Jack McNamara, CNN Money, 25 Sep. 2025
In addition to age (65 and up), factors that increase the risk of severe COVID include chronic conditions like diabetes, HIV, and heart, lung, or kidney disease; being overweight or having obesity; and behaviors like smoking or physical inactivity.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 23 Sep. 2025
Modern triggers such as dietary excess, psychological stress, environmental pollutants, and physical inactivity can sustain immune activation, thereby contributing to the chronic inflammation associated with aging and disease.
—William A. Haseltine, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
PayPal users can now send or receive money using one-time shareable links that work across various messaging apps and expire after 10 days of inactivity.
—PC Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inactivity
Noun
-
More modern power resources, like wind, solar, and batteries, don't involve inertia, because they are digitally controlled.—
Julia Simon,
NPR,
8 Oct. 2025
-
The inertia continues despite economic and regulatory headwinds across the world that threaten to impact sales and product strategies.—
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The postpartum period has long been a time of profound neglect for mothers in America, but fortunately, that’s beginning to change—albeit slowly.—
Erin Bunch,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Tiki, who experienced severe neglect before his rescue, has slowly revealed his curious, silly, and loving side to his new family.—
Kelli Bender,
PEOPLE,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Durbin, who is set to retire in two years, said the impact of inaction will soon be felt in his home state.—
Leila Fadel,
NPR,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Outsourcing the job to non-state actors allows aggressors to avoid activating the terms that trigger action in security alliances, making the reputational damage of inaction by the security guarantor much lower.—
Omar Al-Ubaydli,
semafor.com,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
As the demand for Ghana’s goods decreased, so did the need for the industrial railway line, leading to its disuse.—
Edna Bonhomme,
Artforum,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The muscles in his arms started to atrophy from disuse.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
This patience is watchfulness, not idleness.—
Francois Botha,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
-
All of which could lead to so much work that a man like Wyatt Harper might never have another day of idleness again.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In some cases, that can be attributed to egregious abandonment or benign neglect.—
Justin Worland,
Time,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Former Uvalde school district police chief Pete Arredondo, who was the on-site commander at Robb Elementary School on the day of the shooting, and former school officer Adrian Gonzales, were charged in June 2024 with multiple counts of child endangerment and abandonment.—
Megan Forrester,
ABC News,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inactivity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inactivity. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.
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