inaction

I1N1A1C3T1I1O1N1
/ɪnˈækʃən/

noun

Lack of action or activity or labor

“The school's inaction further sanctions this misbehavior.”

Similar
idlenessrestinertnessinertiainactivityinactiveness
Opposite
action
OriginFrench inaction →
Less commonScrabble 10
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Meanings

nouninaction (countable and uncountable, plural inactions)

plural inactions

  1. countableuncountableLack of action or activity or labor

    The school's inaction further sanctions this misbehavior.

    1 more example

    Hmm, yes, 'negotiations' is an interesting choice of words given that ministers have steadfastly refused to meet the unions for the past year; a clear case of industrial inaction.

    2024 March 20, Christian Wolmar, “NAO report highlights lack of clarity and purpose”, in RAIL, number 1005, page 35

    Synonyms: idleness, rest, inertness, inertia · Antonyms: action

Synonyms & antonyms

nounLack of action or activity or labor

Similar
idlenessrestinertnessinertia
Opposite
action

More synonyms by meaning

nounthe state of being inactive

Similar
inactivityinactiveness
Opposite
action
Broader
state
Also see
inactivenessinactivity

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Frenchinaction
  2. Englishinaction

From French inaction. Morphologically in- + action.

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek ἀπραξία
  • ἀπραξία (apraxía)lack of action or activity
Bulgarian безде́йствие
  • безде́йствие (bezdéjstvie)lack of action or activity
Catalan inacció
  • inacciólack of action or activity
Chinese Mandarin 不作為 /不作为
  • 不作為 /不作为 (bùzuòwéi)lack of action or activity
Czech nečinnost
  • nečinnostlack of action or activity
Esperanto senagado
  • senagadolack of action or activity
Finnish toimettomuus
  • toimettomuuslack of action or activity
French inaction
  • inactionlack of action or activity
German Untätigkeit, Tatenlosigkeit
  • Untätigkeitlack of action or activity
  • Tatenlosigkeitlack of action or activity
  • Trägheitlack of action or activity
  • Nichtstunlack of action or activity
Greek αδράνεια, απραξία
  • αδράνεια (adráneia)lack of action or activity
  • απραξία (apraxía)lack of action or activity
Hungarian tétlenség
  • tétlenséglack of action or activity
Italian inazione
  • inazionelack of action or activity
Polish bezczynność
  • bezczynnośćlack of action or activity
Portuguese inação
  • inaçãolack of action or activity
Romanian inacțiune
  • inacțiunelack of action or activity
Russian безде́йствие
  • безде́йствие (bezdéjstvije)lack of action or activity
Slovak nečinnosť
  • nečinnosťlack of action or activity
Spanish inacción
  • inacciónlack of action or activity
Swedish overksamhet
  • overksamhetlack of action or activity
Ukrainian бездія́льність, безчи́нність
  • бездія́льність (bezdijálʹnistʹ)lack of action or activity
  • безчи́нність (bezčýnnistʹ)lack of action or activity

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

nicotian
Cite this entry
APA

inaction. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inaction

MLA

“inaction.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inaction. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “inaction,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inaction.

Source: inaction on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.