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
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inert
This capability not only allows for possibly identifying microbes among inert matter, as Nadeau and her colleagues proposed in that 2017 paper, but also enables tracking cellular changes that might not be apparent from flat, 2D imaging.
—
John Loeffler, Space.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Many firms pursued the idea of scientific management, i.e. imposing a system of inert processes, methods, structure, and systems on staff in order to make money.
—Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025
While no supporter — surely — would swap any of that frenetic, headlong decade for Tottenham’s inert version of stability, glory becomes addictive.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Spring, after all, ushers in new beginnings with nature bursting into color and life after the cold, harsh inert winter.
—Paul Laudicina, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inert
John Loeffler, Space.com, 22 Apr. 2025
Many firms pursued the idea of scientific management, i.e. imposing a system of inert processes, methods, structure, and systems on staff in order to make money.
—Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 20 Apr. 2025
While no supporter — surely — would swap any of that frenetic, headlong decade for Tottenham’s inert version of stability, glory becomes addictive.
—George Caulkin, New York Times, 8 Apr. 2025
Spring, after all, ushers in new beginnings with nature bursting into color and life after the cold, harsh inert winter.
—Paul Laudicina, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for inert
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inert
Adjective
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Take a cutting a few inches long with several leaves to include a node (that brown bumpy thing which is a dormant growing point where the stem meets the leaf).—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
9 May 2025
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Shingles develops in people who have previously had chicken pox, a virus that remains dormant in the body after acute infections clear up and can be reactivated later in life.—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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Carbon monoxide can also cause the victim to become sleepy, lose consciousness, or lose muscle function as the dangerous gas stops oxygen flow to the brain, heart, and other important cells and organs.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Apr. 2025
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This sleepy port town, penned in by snowy mountains on one side and endless freezing sea on the other, could have been where Spurs’ European dream died.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
9 May 2025
Adjective
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Signs that frozen chicken has gone bad include freezer burn, an off smell or texture, and discoloration.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
10 May 2025
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Winston will be an example of an off the field leader Dart can learn from, which is likely the reason for Winston earning a two-year contract compared to Wilson’s one-year deal.—
Tyler Small,
Forbes.com,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The actors’ shared genetics help Kurt convincingly play the older Wyatt, and their natural charisma helps make even the dullest scenes eminently watchable.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
8 May 2025
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The light turned from orange to dull gray, and then Joe nudged my aching ribs — the tiger was standing in a glade 60 yards downhill.—
Cyril E. Holland,
Outdoor Life,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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The lot had been vacant since the early 1900s when this house was completed in 2018.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 May 2025
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In the 13th century, the papacy was vacant for almost three years before the election of Gregory X, who tightened up conclave rules.—
John Bacon,
USA Today,
2 May 2025
Adjective
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The Alarm was inactive for most of that decade before regrouping and continuing to record and tour.—
Erik Pedersen,
Deadline,
29 Apr. 2025
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In March 1984 Lonoke bought the inactive depot on behalf of the society.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
26 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The days before the storied conclave May 7 at the Vatican are not idle, and an unspoken selection process is already underway amid whispers in corridors and cafes throughout Rome and other cities in Italy.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
3 May 2025
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First Solar might have to reduce or idle production at the Malaysia and Vietnam factories.—
Spencer Kimball,
CNBC,
30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Just an hour south of the gaseous maelstrom otherwise known as the City of Angels lurks a quiescent hideaway called Terranea Resort, set like a rare gemstone on 102 acres of Palos Verdes Peninsula oceanfront.—
David Weiss,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
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Russia, for its part, went from being both weak and quiescent in the early 1990s to being a revanchist power, a spoiler with enough capability and cunning to be disruptive.—
Fareed Zakaria,
Foreign Affairs,
11 June 2019
Cite this Entry
“Inert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inert. Accessed 17 May. 2025.
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