stagnant
adjective
stag·nant
| \ ˈstag-nənt
\
\
Definition of stagnant
1a(1)
: not flowing in a current or stream
stagnant water
(2)
: without inflow and outflow
a stagnant pool
b
: stale
long disuse had made the air stagnant and foul— Bram Stoker
2
: not advancing or developing
a stagnant economy
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Other Words from stagnant
stagnancy
\ ˈstag-nən(t)-sē
\
noun
\
noun
stagnantly
adverb
Examples of stagnant in a Sentence
… many people who make their living in academia are reasonably well insulated from financial devastation. For most tenured faculty, the worst they are likely to experience is stagnant pay and deferred retirement.
— Andrew Delbanco, The New York Review of Books, 14 May 2009
"For adults, entertainment needs to be relevant to their life." Chen points to the stagnant US comic book industry as an example of irrelevance. "I don't want to see video games become like American superhero comics," he admits. "American comics live and die based on a very niche audience. In Japan, comics are a national art form."
— Sid Shuman, Gamepro, May 2009
The blue-green algae blooms can occur in both freshwater and saltwater environments, but are most commonly found in stagnant bodies of water enriched by runoff, Paerl said. Public health officials in the southeastern United States are beginning to monitor water supplies for some of the toxins.
— Bridget M. Kuehn, Journal of the American Medical Association, 25 May 2005
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Recent Examples on the Web
The investigation is stagnant, and investigators are waiting for new information, Fountain said. — Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, "Meteorologist mistaken for wanted child predator beaten at California bar," 19 Aug. 2019 The economy is stagnant, largely thanks to growing corruption. — The Economist, "Why many foreign companies are on the verge of leaving Gabon," 15 Aug. 2019 However, racial disparities remain stagnant, as African American children face poverty at higher rates. — Rachel Berry, Cincinnati.com, "Study: Life is improving for Ohio children, but not all of them," 19 June 2019 The van world was beyond stagnant, with every other competitor fielding vehicles with roots that stretched back to the 1970s. — Popular Mechanics Editors, Popular Mechanics, "The All-New 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Is Pushing Commercial Utility Into the Future," 1 Dec. 2018 Even after 14 novels, the character hasn’t remained stagnant. — Denise Davidsonwriter, San Diego Union-Tribune, "Louise Penny’s ‘A Better Man': Of forks in the road and life-changing decisions," 25 Aug. 2019 Black cisgender women will get a higher wage as a result of policy, but black trans women get left behind and remain stagnant. — Meena Harris, Glamour, "It's Black Women's Equal Pay Day. No Matter Who You Are, That Should Matter to You," 22 Aug. 2019 Cory Booker: Be yourself Booker, who has remained relatively stagnant in the polls, plans to be himself when the New Jersey senator hits the stage for night two of the debate, campaign aides said. — NBC News, "What 2020 Democrats learned from their first debate and how some are sharpening their attacks for the second," 30 July 2019 In a briefing Tuesday morning, fire officials said the Museum Fire remained somewhat stagnant but has continued to burn, putting thousands of homes at risk of fire and floods. — Andrew Nicla, azcentral, "Flagstaff Museum Fire remains at 1,800 acres with no containment," 23 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stagnant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for stagnant
stagnant
adjective
English Language Learners Definition of stagnant
: not flowing
: not active, changing, or progressing
See the full definition for stagnant in the English Language Learners Dictionary
stagnant
adjective
stag·nant
| \ ˈstag-nənt
\
\
Kids Definition of stagnant
1
: not flowing
a stagnant pool
2
: not active or brisk : dull
stagnant business
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