sedentary

adjective

Definition of sedentarynext
as in lazy
not doing or involving a lot of physical activity They led a sedentary life after retirement, spending their days in front of the television.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sedentary Lifestyle factors associated with higher risk include sedentary habits, being overweight, smoking, heavy alcohol use, and diets low in fiber and high in fat or processed meats. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 19 Aug. 2026 Adult mussels are largely sedentary, capable only of limited repositioning about their points of attachment. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Aug. 2026 No one knows when a sedentary 75-year-old economist will kick the bucket or a derecho wind will blow the roof off a Roseville retirement condo, but there are actuarial records giving probabilities for either happening. — Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 16 Aug. 2026 One of the most surprising findings was that sedentary activity in another context — at work — wasn’t linked to the same brain changes. — Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 8 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sedentary
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sedentary
  1. lazy
  2. dormant
  3. sleepy
  4. static
  5. dull
  6. resting
  7. immobile
  8. inactive
Adjective
  • People get lazy, reusing passwords or pseudonyms or crypto wallets.
    — Finn Brunton, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
  • As the lazy days of summer fade and little ones return to school, autumn invites an air of academia.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of lazy
Adjective
  • It was shut down in 2008 and has sat dormant since, contaminated by hazardous chemicals in the ground that GM never cleaned up.
    — Greta Reich, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • While the Anaheim Ducks, located a stone’s throw from Angel Stadium, are in the midst of a massive refurbishment project, the area surrounding the baseball stadium is largely dormant.
    — Sam Blum, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of dormant
Adjective
  • The kids were tucked in by his side, still sleepy from staying up the night before watching TV.
    — Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Bonds are the sleepy corner of the markets, with yields typically moving a few hundredths of a percentage point.
    — Laurent Belsie, Christian Science Monitor, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of sleepy
Adjective
  • But Fosdick’s real radicalism lay in his insistence that Scripture was not static or inerrant but needed to be read in the context of an evolving culture and country.
    — Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
  • With the completion of Ship 41's first static fires, SpaceX could be on track to launch Flight 14 sometime in early to mid-September.
    — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of static
Adjective
  • In recent studies by AccuWeather experts, excessive rainfall can contribute to insect and fungus damage in parts of Pennsylvania, which may lead to duller colors and earlier leaf drop.
    — Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The city is flooded with dull and uninteresting structures clad in the material.
    — Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of dull
Adjective
  • That’s because when the body experiences physical stress, including losing weight quickly, more hairs can shift into a resting phase and fall out a few months later — typically two to three months after the event, Rossi explains.
    — Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 17 Feb. 2026
  • This is a condition where, due to stress or hormonal changes, the body puts the hair follicles into a resting phase.
    — Essence, Essence, 19 Dec. 2025
Definition of resting
Adjective
  • In 2025, the company released an immobile, expressive desktop robot called Reachy Mini.
    — Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Gripping your abs at maximum effort regardless of the task can make your torso feel like an immobile block.
    — Dana Santas, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of immobile
Adjective
  • Both Russia and China have tested missiles that destroy satellites; a Russian test in 2021 shattered an inactive satellite into more than a thousand pieces.
    — Jeffrey Lewis, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2026
  • There have been periodic stretches when the Jayhawks were inactive.
    — Steve Appleford, SPIN, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of inactive

Browse Nearby Words

sedatives
sedentary
sediment
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Cite this Entry

“Sedentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sedentary. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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