Synonyms for inert
- adjective
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Inactive — unable to move or act; inanimate
inactive, lifeless, inanimate, passive, dead, dull, immobile, idle, motionless, dormant, static, still, quiescent, stationary, suspended, immovable, quiet, latent, fallow, insentient, abeyant, unmoving
2. Torpid — sluggish or lethargic
torpid, sluggish, slow, lazy, indolent, slothful, impassive, insensible, leaden, stagnant, lethargic, unmoved, heavy, ponderous, supine, languid, senseless, languorous, lackadaisical, soggy, slack, otiose
3. Indifferent
Other
Definitions
- adj. 1
Unable to move or act; inanimate.
- adj. 2
Sluggish or lethargic.
- adj. 3
Not readily reacting with other elements or compounds.
Related words
- Word family
- inertness inertia
- Phrases
- inert gas inert neutrino
Choose the right word
The inert person seems like dead matter (characterized by inertia), powerless to move; the sluggish moves heavily and toilsomely; the most active person may sometimes find the bodily or mental powers sluggish.
J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)
Example sentences
- passive Passive smokers are the victims of active smokers.
- inactive This volcano has been inactive for hundreds of years.
- inanimate Stop threatening inanimate objects, they can't hear you.
- immobile The car stopped completely immobile.
- indolent Indolent youth creates a begging old age.
- torpid When it gets cold, the turtles become torpid.
By length
- 4 letters
- dead1, slow1, lazy2, dull1, idle2
- 5 letters
- still1, heavy2, quiet2, slack1, soggy2
- 6 letters
- static2, latent2, fallow2, leaden2, supine2, torpid2, otiose3
- 7 letters
- neutral2, passive2, dormant2, unmoved2, languid2, abeyant
- 8 letters
- inactive3, stagnant2, lifeless2, sluggish2, immobile3, indolent3, unmoving, slothful
- 9 letters
- suspended3, senseless2, inanimate4, immovable4, lethargic3, ponderous3, quiescent3, impassive3, exanimate
- 10 letters
- stationary4, motionless3, insensible4, languorous, insentient
- 11 letters
- indifferent3, nonreactive
- 13 letters
- lackadaisical5
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (lazy2 = 2 syllables).