inactive

inactive — adjective

1. describes a person or animal that is not moving, not doing much, or lacking the

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

describes a person or animal that is not moving, not doing much, or lacking the energy to be physically or mentally active — for example, someone who sits still for hours without exercising.

Example

The doctor told Romi that her lifestyle was too inactive and she needed more exercise.

too + adjective for excessive degree

During winter, the bears become inactive and sleep for many weeks.

become + adjective for change of state

Common collocations
  • physically inactive
  • too inactive
  • remain inactive
  • become inactive
  • inactive lifestyle
  • inactive period
Synonyms
  • sedentary

    more specific — only describes a lifestyle with little physical movement, not a temporary state

  • idle

    can mean doing nothing at a given moment, but less neutral; 'idle' often implies wasted time

  • sluggish

    more negative — suggests slowness or lack of energy, not just inactivity

Antonyms
  • active

    direct opposite at all register levels

  • energetic

    implies positive liveliness, not just the absence of inactivity

Usage Note

Often describes a lifestyle, a physical state, or an animal's seasonal behaviour. Frequently appears after 'too,' 'become,' 'feel,' or 'remain.' Contrast with sense 2 — this sense applies to living beings, not objects.

Common Mistakes

I was inactive to finish my homework.
I was too inactive to finish my homework.
'inactive' needs a degree word like 'too' before it can connect to an infinitive clause.

❌ 'My phone is inactive because the battery is dead.' (meaning not working) — This describes an object (sense 2). For a phone that is not working, say 'dead' or 'not working'; 'inactive' for objects means deliberately not in use, not broken.

2. describes equipment, machinery, a system, or an account that is not being used a

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes equipment, machinery, a system, or an account that is not being used at the present time or is deliberately turned off and not running.

Example

The factory kept several machines inactive because there were no orders to fill.

keep + object + adjective for maintaining a state

Gabriel found an old, inactive phone in the drawer that still had battery power.

Common collocations
  • inactive account
  • inactive machine
  • lie inactive
  • sit inactive
  • remain inactive
  • keep inactive
Synonyms
  • idle

    widely used for machines and factories; 'idle' is slightly more informal

  • unused

    purely factual — does not carry the nuance of being deliberately kept off

  • dormant

    implies potential to become active again; used for accounts, systems, or processes

Antonyms
  • active

    direct opposite across all domains

  • operational

    specifically for machinery or systems in working order

Usage Note

Subject is usually an object, device, system, or financial account. Contrast with sense 1 — this sense describes things that have been purposefully or habitually left unused, not things that are broken or malfunctioning.

Common Mistakes

The elevator is inactive because it is broken.
The elevator is out of order because it is broken.
'inactive' implies deliberate non-use, not a fault or breakdown.

3. describes a soldier or officer who is not currently serving in active combat or

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes a soldier or officer who is not currently serving in active combat or on regular military duty and is not required to report for daily service.

Example

After his injury, Sergeant Faisal was placed on inactive status for six months.

inactive status / inactive duty — military collocation

The base houses about two hundred inactive soldiers who are awaiting new assignments.

Common collocations
  • inactive status
  • inactive duty
  • inactive reserve
  • inactive personnel
  • inactive unit
Synonyms
  • non-active

    broader — can apply outside military contexts, though less common

  • off-duty

    not a synonym — 'off-duty' refers to a temporary break, not a formal status

Antonyms
  • active

    specifically 'active duty' in military usage

Usage Note

Restricted to military contexts. Often appears in fixed phrases: 'inactive status,' 'inactive duty,' 'inactive reserve.' The opposite term is 'active duty.' Unlike senses 1 and 2, this sense does not describe everyday life or objects.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

These four words all describe a lack of activity, but they differ in scope and tone. 'Inactive' is the broadest and most neutral — it simply states that someone or something is not active or not moving. 'Sedentary' is narrower: it refers specifically to a lifestyle with little physical movement, usually from sitting for long periods, and is common in health contexts ('a sedentary job,' 'a sedentary lifestyle'). 'Idle' can mean temporarily doing nothing at a given moment, but often carries a suggestion of wasted time or laziness ('idle hands,' 'idle chatter'). 'Sluggish' is the most negative — it suggests slow movement or reaction, as if the person or system is struggling to function ('a sluggish engine,' 'feeling sluggish after a heavy meal'). For a neutral description of a person who simply does not move much, use 'inactive.' For a health warning about sitting too much, use 'sedentary.' For a negative judgment about wasted potential, use 'idle.'

inactive ↗sedentaryidle ↗sluggish

Common collocations

Nouns

  • inactive account
  • inactive lifestyle
  • inactive status
  • inactive machine

Adverbs

  • remain inactive
  • become inactive
  • lie inactive
  • sit inactive

Etymology

LatinEnglish

The word 'inactive' was formed in English by joining the prefix 'in-' (meaning 'not') with the word 'active.' The prefix comes from Latin 'in-' and 'active' comes from Latin 'activus,' meaning 'doing something' or 'full of action.' So 'inactive' literally means 'not active.' The word first appeared in English around the early 1700s.