inactive Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adjective satellite (chemistry) not participating in a chemical reaction; chemically inert
    • desired amounts of inactive chlorine
  2. adjective (pathology) not progressing or increasing; or progressing slowly
  3. adjective (military) not involved in military operations
    nonoperational.
  4. adjective not exerting influence or change
  5. adjective (of e.g. volcanos) not erupting and not extinct
    dormant.
    • a dormant volcano
  6. adjective lacking in energy or will
    passive.
    • Much benevolence of the passive order may be traced to a disinclination to inflict pain upon oneself"- George Meredith
  7. adjective lacking activity; lying idle or unused
    • an inactive mine
    • inactive accounts
    • inactive machinery
  8. adjective not engaged in full-time work
    • inactive reserve
    • an inactive member
  9. adjective not active physically or mentally
    • illness forced him to live an inactive life
    • dreamy and inactive by nature
  10. adjective satellite not in physical motion
    still; static; motionless.
    • the inertia of an object at rest

WordNet

In*ac"tive adjective
Etymology
Pref. in- not + active: cf. F. inactif.
Definitions
  1. Not active; having no power to move; that does not or can not produce results; inert; as, matter is, of itself, inactive.
  2. Not disposed to action or effort; not diligent or industrious; not busy; idle; as, an inactive officer.
  3. (Chem. & Opt.) Not active; inert; esp., not exhibiting any action or activity on polarized light; optically neutral; -- said of isomeric forms of certain substances, in distinction from other forms which are optically active; as, racemic acid is an inactive tartaric acid. Syn. -- Inert; dull; sluggish; idle; indolent; slothful; lazy. See Inert.

Webster 1913