1
as in dormant
not being in a state of use, activity, or employment
the inert, abandoned factories that are scattered all over that dying city
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sleepy
slow to move or act
a sleepy, inert reptile that is no threat to people when left alone
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inert
The anguish lacing through the satire-obsessed ’90s burns like a hangover, at the same time mocking and cherishing the inert residue of hope that history might keep moving forward.
—
Alice Bolin
june 23, Literary Hub, 23 June 2025
The Democrats and broader anti-war movement are inert, complete non-entities.
—Carlo Versano, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025
Save some dough by filling the bottom third of the pot with inert materials such as blocks of polystyrene foam from product packaging or packing peanuts (secured in plastic bags).
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 June 2025
The defense argued that Gutierrez Reed could not have anticipated that a box of inert dummy rounds had been contaminated with a handful of similar-looking live bullets.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for inert
Alice Bolin
june 23, Literary Hub, 23 June 2025
The Democrats and broader anti-war movement are inert, complete non-entities.
—Carlo Versano, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025
Save some dough by filling the bottom third of the pot with inert materials such as blocks of polystyrene foam from product packaging or packing peanuts (secured in plastic bags).
—Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 June 2025
The defense argued that Gutierrez Reed could not have anticipated that a box of inert dummy rounds had been contaminated with a handful of similar-looking live bullets.
—Gene Maddaus, Variety, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for inert
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inert
Adjective
-
This means your lawn is dormant and should be revived with watering.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
22 July 2025
-
While Nine Inch Nails itself has been largely dormant since 2020’s Ghosts album series, Reznor and Ross have still been busy working behind the scenes.—
Larisha Paul,
Rolling Stone,
17 July 2025
Adjective
-
Usyk and Dubois have some work to do to save a pretty sleepy event in London.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
19 July 2025
-
At the time, Positano was still a sleepy fishing village.—
Elise Taylor,
Vogue,
9 July 2025
Adjective
-
Avoid wrapping leftover cut lemons in aluminum foil, which can react with the acidity in the fruit, causing an off flavor.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
15 July 2025
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No team could use an off day than the New York Mets.—
John Perrotto,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
The best vitamin C cleansers can come in handy for this—most are packed with brightening antioxidants and fruit enzymes to gently slough away dull, dead skin and protect it from free radicals.—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
17 July 2025
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For organizations looking to unlock efficiency and save their human workforces from dull and repetitive tasks, agents represent an exciting opportunity.—
Aytekin Tank,
Forbes.com,
17 July 2025
Adjective
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After hosting pop ups at Batch and elsewhere for a couple of years, Lit offered Fulco the vacant trailer space at Batch.—
Matthew Odam,
Austin American Statesman,
25 July 2025
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None of the 408 properties — occupied or vacant — at the center of the litigation have a certificate of compliance, according to the city's lawsuit, which also alleges hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid blight violations.—
Nushrat Rahman,
Freep.com,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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Lifestyle factors associated with stress, such as an inactive lifestyle, may also contribute to high blood pressure.—
Angela Ryan Lee,
Health,
17 July 2025
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Zepeda has an inactive guard, which will allow Stevenson to pepper him with shots around the high guard and down the middle.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
Adjective
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Those with a relationship cash value of less than $250,000 can get 0.15% APY on their idle funds, while the largest accounts – those with $10 million or above in cash balances – can pick up 2.28%.—
Darla Mercado, CFP®,
CNBC,
22 July 2025
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Years passed and the farming operation fizzled, then the barn sat idle for nearly three decades.—
Pamela McLoughlin,
Hartford Courant,
17 July 2025
Adjective
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But just because a stock has been quiescent for a while is no reason to disdain it.—
John Dorfman,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
-
In the early 2000s, the U.S. invasion of Iraq united Iraqi Kurds in a quest to preserve their autonomy, and the rivalry in greater Kurdistan eclipsed the quiescent Kurdish rivalry within Iraq.—
Behnam Ben Taleblu,
Foreign Affairs,
8 Nov. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Inert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inert. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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