Meanings
comparative more inactive · superlative most inactive
- Not active, temporarily or permanently.
The volcano is inactive, but is only dormant.
1 more example
Inactive user accounts may be deleted after 90 days.
Synonyms: dull
- Not engaging in physical activity.
[…] exercise in general will lead to dramatic improvements in comparison with an inactive lifestyle.
2021, Suzanne Byrd, Practical Tips on Supporting Boys with ADHD
plural inactives
- A person who does not take action.
Typically inactives are poorly educated older women. Their lack of education is overwhelmingly the key factor in assigning the inactives to a life devoid of political activity of any sort.
2016, Alan Marsh, Political Action in Europe and the USA, page 47
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveNot active, temporarily or permanently.
adjectiveNot functioning or operating; broken down
More synonyms by meaning
adjective(chemistry) not participating in a chemical reaction; chemically inert
adjective(pathology) not progressing or increasing; or progressing slowly
adjective(military) not involved in military operations
adjectivelacking in energy or will
adjectivelacking activity; lying idle or unused
adjectivenot active physically or mentally
adjectivenot in physical motion
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*né
- Proto-Indo-European*n̥-
- Proto-Italic*n̥-
- Latinin-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂eǵ-
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂éǵeti
- Proto-Italic*agō
- Latinagō
- Ancient Greekἐνεργητικός (energētikós)
- Latināctīvus
- Latinināctīvu
- Frenchinactif
- Englishinactive
From French inactif. Piecewise doublet of unactive.
More words from French
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic خَامِد
- خَامِد (ḵāmid)not active, temporarily or permanently
Bulgarian бездеен, неработещ
- бездеен (bezdeen)not active, temporarily or permanently
- неработещ (nerabotešt)not functioning or operating; broken down
- запасен (zapasen)retired from duty or service
- инертен (inerten)relatively inert
Catalan inactiu, inactiu
- inactiunot active, temporarily or permanently
- inactiurelatively inert
Czech nečinný
- nečinnýnot active, temporarily or permanently
Finnish epäaktiivinen, rikki
- epäaktiivinennot active, temporarily or permanently
- rikkinot functioning or operating; broken down
- eronnutretired from duty or service
- inaktiivinenrelatively inert
- inaktiivinenshowing no optical activity in polarized light
French inactif
- inactifnot active, temporarily or permanently
German inaktiv, untätig
- inaktivnot active, temporarily or permanently
- untätignot active, temporarily or permanently
Greek αδρανής, χαλασμένος
- αδρανής (adranís)not active, temporarily or permanently
- χαλασμένος (chalasménos)not functioning or operating; broken down
- αδρανής (adranís)relatively inert
Hindi निष्क्रिय, अक्रिय
- निष्क्रिय (niṣkriya)not active, temporarily or permanently
- अक्रिय (akriya)not active, temporarily or permanently
- निष्क्रिय (niṣkriya)not functioning or operating; broken down
- निष्क्रिय (niṣkriya)relatively inert
- अक्रिय (akriya)relatively inert
Italian inattivo
- inattivonot active, temporarily or permanently
Japanese 不活発な, 休止中の
- 不活発な (fukappatsu na)not active, temporarily or permanently
- 休止中の (kyūshichū no)not active, temporarily or permanently
- つまらない (tsumaranai)not active, temporarily or permanently
Māori houtete, hōngoingoi
- houtetenot active, temporarily or permanently
- hōngoingoinot active, temporarily or permanently
- makukunot active, temporarily or permanently
- maurinohonot active, temporarily or permanently
Norwegian Bokmål inaktiv
- inaktivnot active, temporarily or permanently
Polish nieaktywny, bezczynny
- nieaktywnynot active, temporarily or permanently
- bezczynnynot active, temporarily or permanently
- zepsutynot functioning or operating; broken down
- biernyrelatively inert
- obojętnyin chemistry, not readily reacting with other elements or compounds
- biernyin chemistry, not readily reacting with other elements or compounds
Portuguese inativo
- inativonot active, temporarily or permanently
Russian неакти́вный, безде́йствующий
- неакти́вный (neaktívnyj)not active, temporarily or permanently
- безде́йствующий (bezdéjstvujuščij)not active, temporarily or permanently
- неде́йствующий (nedéjstvujuščij)not active, temporarily or permanently
Slovak nečinný, neaktívny
- nečinnýnot active, temporarily or permanently
- neaktívnynot active, temporarily or permanently
- nefunkčnýnot functioning or operating; broken down
- vo výslužberetired from duty or service
- neaktívnyrelatively inert
- nereaktívnyrelatively inert
- inertnýrelatively inert
Spanish inactivo
- inactivonot active, temporarily or permanently
Swedish inaktiv
- inaktivnot active, temporarily or permanently
Turkish aktif değil, çalışmıyor
- aktif değilnot active, temporarily or permanently
- çalışmıyornot active, temporarily or permanently
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with inactive
Anagrams
Cite this entry
inactive. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inactive
“inactive.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inactive. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “inactive,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inactive.
Source: inactive on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.