stagnant

adjective

stag·​nant ˈstag-nənt How to pronounce stagnant (audio)
Synonyms of stagnantnext
1
a(1)
: not flowing in a current or stream
stagnant water
(2)
: without inflow and outflow
a stagnant pool
b
: stale
long disuse had made the air stagnant and foul— Bram Stoker
2
: not advancing or developing
a stagnant economy
stagnancy
ˈstag-nən(t)-sē How to pronounce stagnant (audio)
noun
stagnantly adverb

Examples of stagnant in a Sentence

… many people who make their living in academia are reasonably well insulated from financial devastation. For most tenured faculty, the worst they are likely to experience is stagnant pay and deferred retirement. — Andrew Delbanco, The New York Review of Books, 14 May 2009
"For adults, entertainment needs to be relevant to their life." Chen points to the stagnant US comic book industry as an example of irrelevance. "I don't want to see video games become like American superhero comics," he admits. "American comics live and die based on a very niche audience. In Japan, comics are a national art form." — Sid Shuman, Gamepro, May 2009
The blue-green algae blooms can occur in both freshwater and saltwater environments, but are most commonly found in stagnant bodies of water enriched by runoff, Paerl said. Public health officials in the southeastern United States are beginning to monitor water supplies for some of the toxins. — Bridget M. Kuehn, Journal of the American Medical Association, 25 May 2005
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.
When air is stagnant, pollutants don't get dispersed, allowing ozone to build up to unhealthy levels. — Joe Edwards, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 June 2025 Trump’s move comes as another blow to a U.S. electric vehicles industry already struggling to maintain momentum amid stagnant consumer demand, uncertainty around import tariffs, and persistent supply chain issues. — David Blackmon, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025 The framework is part of the district’s efforts to turnaround its stagnant academic performance that’s been seen historically. — Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 June 2025 Combine her massive announcement with the ever-growing anticipation of Reputation’s rerelease — and the comfort among her fan base to now resume listening to the original album — and a Billboard 200 that is relatively stagnant, and the runway was wide open for this sort of thing. — Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 10 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for stagnant

Word History

Etymology

see stagnate

First Known Use

1610, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler
The first known use of stagnant was in 1610

Browse Nearby Words

stagnance
stagnant
stagnate
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Stagnant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stagnant. Accessed 16 Jun. 2025.

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Kids Definition

stagnant

adjective
stag·​nant ˈstag-nənt How to pronounce stagnant (audio)
1
: not flowing in a current or stream : motionless
2
: not active or brisk
stagnant business

More from Merriam-Webster on stagnant

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for stagnant

Nglish: Translation of stagnant for Spanish Speakers

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