Antonyms for inactive
ɪnˈæk tɪvin·ac·tive

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. inactive

   Idle in all uses rests upon its root meaning, as derived from the Anglo-Saxon idel, which signifies vain, empty, useless. Idle thus denotes not primarily the absence of action, but vain action — the absence of useful, effective action; the idle schoolboy may be very actively whittling his desk or tormenting his neighbors. Doing nothing whatever is the secondary meaning of idle. One may be temporarily idle of necessity; if he is habitually idle, it is his own fault. Lazy signifies indisposed to exertion, averse to labor; idleness is in fact; laziness is in disposition or inclination. A lazy person may chance to be employed in useful work, but he acts without energy or impetus. We speak figuratively of a lazy stream. The inert person seems like dead matter (characterized by inertia), powerless to move; the sluggish moves heavily and toilsomely; the most active person may sometimes find the bodily or mental powers sluggish. Slothful belongs in the moral realm, denoting a self-indulgent aversion to exertion. "The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth," Prov. xxvi, 15. Indolent is a milder term for the same quality; the slothful man hates action; the indolent man loves inaction. Compare VAIN.

   Antonyms:
   active, busy, diligent, employed, industrious, occupied, working

   Synonyms:
   idle, indolent, inert, lazy, slothful, sluggish, trifling, unemployed, unoccupied, vacant

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. inactive

   Synonyms:
   idle, lazy, inert, indolent, sluggish, slothful

Matched Categories

1. • Chemistry
   • Military
   • Pathology

Princeton's WordNetRate these antonyms:3.7 / 3 votes

1. inactiveadjective

   (chemistry) not participating in a chemical reaction; chemically inert

   "desired amounts of inactive chlorine"

   Antonyms:
   reactive, open, gymnastic, progressive, nimble, active, going(a), astir(p), overactive, quick, bustling, sporty, spry, busy, hot, hyperactive, surface-active, agile, springy, counteractive, about(p), brisk, moving, acrobatic, activated, on the go(p), athletic

   Synonyms:
   static, dormant, motionless, still, nonoperational, passive

2. inactiveadjective

   (pathology) not progressing or increasing; or progressing slowly

   Antonyms:
   springy, moving, nimble, gymnastic, agile, on the go(p), busy, athletic, active, astir(p), acrobatic, open, surface-active, progressive, counteractive, about(p), hyperactive, spry, brisk, sporty, bustling, overactive, hot, activated, reactive, going(a), quick

   Synonyms:
   static, dormant, motionless, still, nonoperational, passive

3. nonoperational, inactiveadjective

   (military) not involved in military operations

   Antonyms:
   going(a), moving, nimble, reactive, busy, activated, active, gymnastic, springy, counteractive, sporty, athletic, open, about(p), hot, on the go(p), spry, overactive, hyperactive, astir(p), bustling, progressive, acrobatic, surface-active, agile, brisk, quick

   Synonyms:
   static, dormant, motionless, still, nonoperational, passive

4. inactiveadjective

   not exerting influence or change

   Antonyms:
   brisk, bustling, busy, moving, acrobatic, active, sporty, hot, on the go(p), progressive, going(a), gymnastic, counteractive, nimble, astir(p), hyperactive, agile, springy, spry, reactive, open, overactive, surface-active, about(p), quick, activated, athletic

   Synonyms:
   static, dormant, motionless, still, nonoperational, passive

5. dormant, inactiveadjective

   (of e.g. volcanos) not erupting and not extinct

   "a dormant volcano"

   Antonyms:
   active, activated, progressive, open, brisk, about(p), going(a), surface-active, springy, counteractive, hyperactive, athletic, sporty, quick, spry, overactive, on the go(p), moving, nimble, gymnastic, reactive, acrobatic, astir(p), bustling, hot, agile, busy

   Synonyms:
   passive, sleeping, dormant(ip), dormant, abeyant, still, hibernating(a), nonoperational, static, motionless, torpid

6. passive, inactiveadjective

   lacking in energy or will

   "Much benevolence of the passive order may be traced to a disinclination to inflict pain upon oneself"- George Meredith

   Antonyms:
   progressive, open, agile, athletic, springy, bustling, activated, astir(p), hyperactive, active, nimble, overactive, about(p), busy, quick, gymnastic, counteractive, sporty, hot, surface-active, brisk, spry, acrobatic, moving, on the go(p), reactive, going(a)

   Synonyms:
   passive, dormant, still, peaceful, nonoperational, static, motionless

7. inactiveadjective

   lacking activity; lying idle or unused

   "an inactive mine"; "inactive accounts"; "inactive machinery"

   Antonyms:
   hyperactive, active, athletic, busy, about(p), activated, astir(p), hot, overactive, bustling, on the go(p), moving, going(a), quick, counteractive, gymnastic, springy, surface-active, reactive, nimble, spry, acrobatic, open, progressive, agile, sporty, brisk

   Synonyms:
   static, dormant, motionless, still, nonoperational, passive

8. inactiveadjective

   not engaged in full-time work

   "inactive reserve"; "an inactive member"

   Antonyms:
   nimble, on the go(p), progressive, hot, about(p), activated, moving, surface-active, hyperactive, active, counteractive, astir(p), open, reactive, busy, bustling, acrobatic, quick, going(a), gymnastic, springy, spry, overactive, agile, brisk, athletic, sporty

   Synonyms:
   static, dormant, motionless, still, nonoperational, passive

9. inactiveadjective

   not active physically or mentally

   "illness forced him to live an inactive life"; "dreamy and inactive by nature"

   Antonyms:
   active, acrobatic, surface-active, about(p), springy, athletic, nimble, activated, moving, spry, open, sporty, reactive, bustling, going(a), on the go(p), gymnastic, counteractive, hyperactive, overactive, busy, astir(p), progressive, quick, hot, brisk, agile

   Synonyms:
   static, dormant, motionless, still, nonoperational, passive

10. inactive, motionless, static, stilladjective

    not in physical motion

    "the inertia of an object at rest"

    Antonyms:
    hyperactive, going(a), springy, overactive, surface-active, gymnastic, on the go(p), active, counteractive, athletic, quick, spry, open, busy, agile, astir(p), activated, about(p), acrobatic, nimble, hot, progressive, sporty, bustling, reactive, brisk, moving

    Synonyms:
    static, smooth, motionless, placid, electrostatic, tranquil, soundless, unruffled, still, quiet, unchanging, silent, noneffervescent, nonoperational, passive, stable, dormant

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:4.0 / 1 vote

1. inactiveadjective

   Synonyms:
   inert, motionless, quiescent, dormant, inoperative, sluggish, stagnant, dilatory, latent, passive, torpid

How to use inactive in a sentence?

1. Bridget Munger:

   Although river flooding has approached the two inactive coal basins at the facility, it appears there are currently no structural issues with those impoundments.

2. Ime Archibong:

   We are cutting off API access for hundreds of thousands of inactive apps that have not submitted for our app review process.

3. Ambassador Alaina Teplitz:

   We certainly have reason to believe that the active attack group has not been fully rendered inactive.

4. Josh Hartnett:

   The story is that Im some recluse or malcontent or something, but I never felt that way...Iwas never inactive, I was just doing other things.

5. David Dunstan:

   Unfortunately at the population level, the majority of the population are overweight or obese and the majority of the population are inactive, the message here is that health gains could be made at the population level if sitting time was reduced, of course, in addition to engaging in regular exercise.

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