Stagnant
adjective
Not flowing or moving, was still and quiet.
The water in the lake was stagnant and cloudy.
Often appears as...
- stagnant water
- stagnant pond
adjective
Not progressing, developing or growing.
The economy is stagnant because of the current government's policies.
Often appears as...
- stagnant economy
- stagnant market
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Not flowing or moving, was still and quiet.
The water in the lake was stagnant and cloudy.
Often appears as...
- stagnant water
- stagnant pond
adjective
Not progressing, developing or growing.
The economy is stagnant because of the current government's policies.
Often appears as...
- stagnant economy
- stagnant market
Usage tips
Disapproving
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Literal Stillness
When used literally, 'stagnant' refers to water or air with no movement. It implies a lack of freshness.
The swamp had a foul smell due to the stagnant water.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
'Stagnant' often has a negative connotation, suggesting problems or undesirability.
We opened the windows to clear out the stagnant air.
Pro Tip 3/3Metaphorical Use
Metaphorically, 'stagnant' describes situations or places lacking activity or change.
After years of neglect, the old town felt stagnant.
Pro Tip 1/3Literal Stillness
When used literally, 'stagnant' refers to water or air with no movement. It implies a lack of freshness.
The swamp had a foul smell due to the stagnant water.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
'Stagnant' often has a negative connotation, suggesting problems or undesirability.
We opened the windows to clear out the stagnant air.
Pro Tip 3/3Metaphorical Use
Metaphorically, 'stagnant' describes situations or places lacking activity or change.
After years of neglect, the old town felt stagnant.
Pro Tip 1/3Literal Stillness
When used literally, 'stagnant' refers to water or air with no movement. It implies a lack of freshness.
The swamp had a foul smell due to the stagnant water.
Pro Tip 2/3Negative Connotation
'Stagnant' often has a negative connotation, suggesting problems or undesirability.
We opened the windows to clear out the stagnant air.
Pro Tip 3/3Metaphorical Use
Metaphorically, 'stagnant' describes situations or places lacking activity or change.
After years of neglect, the old town felt stagnant.
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Video examples
Bilal Bomani: Plant...
So on large scale what do they use? We use open pond systems. Now, around the world they are growing algae, with this racetrack design that you see here. Looks like an oval with a paddle wheel and mixes really well, but when it gets around the last turn, which I call turn four — it's stagnant.
Video examples
The colossal consequences...
civilization-destroying apocalypse caused by events half a globe away will remain a powerful and terrifying vision. Less fictional than we would like to believe. "The winds were withered in the stagnant air, and the clouds perish'd; darkness had no need of aid from them --
Video examples
Bill Clinton: TED Prize...
but median wages are stagnant and the percentage of working families dropping below the poverty line is up by four percent. The percentage of working families without health care up by four percent. So this interdependent world which has been pretty good to most of us --
Video examples
We need nuclear power to...
Those are the problems in the developing world. And it's easy for us not to be empathetic with those people who seem so distanced from us. But even in our own world, the developed world, we see the tension of stagnant economies impacting the lives of people around us.
Video examples
Paul Romer: Why the...
So as other countries in the world innovated, in the sense both of developing newer technologies, but also developing newer rules, the Chinese were cut off from those advances. Income there stayed stagnant, as it zoomed ahead in the rest of the world.
Video examples
Why We Need To Talk Shit...
the corresponding bill in a city without any sewer system at all with people unable to relate to the problem unmoved to solve it or overwhelmed by its magnitude progress is stagnant half the world's population has been left
Video examples
Getting Water in the...
filter it, treat it, and then send it around camp where I want it. That's stagnant right they're. Not interested in that. Why is it important to have rapidly moving water? In a stagnant pond, what do you get if you're down
Video examples
Eve Ensler: Suddenly, my...
Before cancer, the world was something other. It was as if I was living in a stagnant pool and cancer dynamited the boulder that was separating me from the larger sea. Now I am swimming in it. Now I lay down in the grass
Video examples
The tyranny of merit PIPE...
It's a legitimate complaint. Even as globalization brought deepening inequality and stagnant wages, its proponents offered workers some bracing advice.
Video examples
The UNSEEN Dinosaur...
All the predator's bones were found alongside the edge of an ancient stagnant lake.
Video examples
Bilal Bomani: Plant...
So on large scale what do they use? We use open pond systems. Now, around the world they are growing algae, with this racetrack design that you see here. Looks like an oval with a paddle wheel and mixes really well, but when it gets around the last turn, which I call turn four — it's stagnant.
Video examples
The colossal consequences...
civilization-destroying apocalypse caused by events half a globe away will remain a powerful and terrifying vision. Less fictional than we would like to believe. "The winds were withered in the stagnant air, and the clouds perish'd; darkness had no need of aid from them --
Video examples
Bill Clinton: TED Prize...
but median wages are stagnant and the percentage of working families dropping below the poverty line is up by four percent. The percentage of working families without health care up by four percent. So this interdependent world which has been pretty good to most of us --
Video examples
We need nuclear power to...
Those are the problems in the developing world. And it's easy for us not to be empathetic with those people who seem so distanced from us. But even in our own world, the developed world, we see the tension of stagnant economies impacting the lives of people around us.
Video examples
Paul Romer: Why the...
So as other countries in the world innovated, in the sense both of developing newer technologies, but also developing newer rules, the Chinese were cut off from those advances. Income there stayed stagnant, as it zoomed ahead in the rest of the world.
Video examples
Why We Need To Talk Shit...
the corresponding bill in a city without any sewer system at all with people unable to relate to the problem unmoved to solve it or overwhelmed by its magnitude progress is stagnant half the world's population has been left
Video examples
Getting Water in the...
filter it, treat it, and then send it around camp where I want it. That's stagnant right they're. Not interested in that. Why is it important to have rapidly moving water? In a stagnant pond, what do you get if you're down
Video examples
Eve Ensler: Suddenly, my...
Before cancer, the world was something other. It was as if I was living in a stagnant pool and cancer dynamited the boulder that was separating me from the larger sea. Now I am swimming in it. Now I lay down in the grass
Video examples
The tyranny of merit PIPE...
It's a legitimate complaint. Even as globalization brought deepening inequality and stagnant wages, its proponents offered workers some bracing advice.
Video examples
The UNSEEN Dinosaur...
All the predator's bones were found alongside the edge of an ancient stagnant lake.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Stevie Ray Vaughan
American Musician
I've put my life back together, but it's all a growing process and that's neat, too, because if you stop growing, what good is it musically? So that is what I am looking forward to - growing. In some ways, I felt stagnant in my life and it showed.
Quote examples
Thomas Ligotti
American Author
Human life moves only in one direction - toward disease, damage, and death. The best you can hope for is to remain stagnant or, in certain cases, return to a previous condition when things weren't as bad as they've become for you.
Quote examples
Terri Clark
Canadian Musician
The best thing to do is stare it in the face and move on. We have to face our fears and plow through. I think taking chances takes a lot more courage than staying stagnant and doing what's safe and comfortable.
Quote examples
Kevin-Prince Boateng
German Athlete
Stadiums can be places where people of different colour come to support their teams, or they can be seen as stagnant areas where healthy people will be infected by racism.
Quote examples
Jan Schakowsky
American Politician
The truth is the middle class is not only stagnant but it is my fear that, without sustained and focused action, it is at risk of disappearing.
Quote examples
Ivan Moody
American Musician
I don't understand why some people get access to the universe and other people feel like they're meant to just be stagnant and fail.
Quote examples
Peter Diamandis
American Businessman
Online games for data-mining have a short virtual shelf life. People get bored, especially if the game seems stagnant.
Quote examples
Mikhail Gorbachev
Statesman
A society should never become like a pond with stagnant water, without movement. That's the most important thing.
Quote examples
John Sterling
American Entertainer
Pain has its own noble joy, when it starts a strong consciousness of life, from a stagnant one.
Quote examples
Hussein of Jordan
Jordanian Royalty
Personality is reduced and deformed with depleted thoughts and stagnant mind.
Quote examples
Stevie Ray Vaughan
American Musician
I've put my life back together, but it's all a growing process and that's neat, too, because if you stop growing, what good is it musically? So that is what I am looking forward to - growing. In some ways, I felt stagnant in my life and it showed.
Quote examples
Thomas Ligotti
American Author
Human life moves only in one direction - toward disease, damage, and death. The best you can hope for is to remain stagnant or, in certain cases, return to a previous condition when things weren't as bad as they've become for you.
Quote examples
Terri Clark
Canadian Musician
The best thing to do is stare it in the face and move on. We have to face our fears and plow through. I think taking chances takes a lot more courage than staying stagnant and doing what's safe and comfortable.
Quote examples
Kevin-Prince Boateng
German Athlete
Stadiums can be places where people of different colour come to support their teams, or they can be seen as stagnant areas where healthy people will be infected by racism.
Quote examples
Jan Schakowsky
American Politician
The truth is the middle class is not only stagnant but it is my fear that, without sustained and focused action, it is at risk of disappearing.
Quote examples
Ivan Moody
American Musician
I don't understand why some people get access to the universe and other people feel like they're meant to just be stagnant and fail.
Quote examples
Peter Diamandis
American Businessman
Online games for data-mining have a short virtual shelf life. People get bored, especially if the game seems stagnant.
Quote examples
Mikhail Gorbachev
Statesman
A society should never become like a pond with stagnant water, without movement. That's the most important thing.
Quote examples
John Sterling
American Entertainer
Pain has its own noble joy, when it starts a strong consciousness of life, from a stagnant one.
Quote examples
Hussein of Jordan
Jordanian Royalty
Personality is reduced and deformed with depleted thoughts and stagnant mind.
Example 1 of 10
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