inactive

[ in-ak-tiv ]
/ ɪnˈæk tɪv /

adjective

not active: an inactive volcano.
sedentary or passive: an inactive life.
sluggish; indolent.
Military. not on active duty.
Chemistry.
  1. inert; unreactive.
  2. noting a compound that has no effect on polarized light.

Origin of inactive

First recorded in 1715–25; in-3 + active

synonym study for inactive

1, 2. Inactive, dormant, inert, sluggish, torpid suggest lack of activity. Inactive indicates absence of action, indisposition to activity, or cessation of activity: an inactive compound, life, file of papers. Dormant suggests the quiescence or inactivity of that which sleeps but may be roused to action: a dormant volcano. Inert suggests the condition of dead matter, with no inherent power of motion or action; it may also mean unable to move, or heavy and hard to move: an inert mass; inert from hunger. Sluggish expresses slowness of natural activity or of that which does not move readily or vigorously: a sluggish stream, brain. Torpid suggests a state of suspended physical powers, a condition particularly of animals that hibernate: Snakes are torpid in cold weather.

OTHER WORDS FROM inactive

in·ac·tive·ly, adverb in·ac·tiv·i·ty, in·ac·tive·ness, noun

Example sentences from the Web for inactive

British Dictionary definitions for inactive

inactive
/ (ɪnˈæktɪv) /

adjective

idle or inert; not active
sluggish, passive, or indolent
military of or relating to persons or equipment not in active service
chem (of a substance) having little or no reactivity
(of an element, isotope, etc) having little or no radioactivity

Derived forms of inactive

inactively, adverb inactivity or inactiveness, noun