inactive

See also: inactivé

English

Etymology

From French inactif. See also earlier unactive.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɪnˈæktɪv/

• Audio (UK):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -æktɪv

Adjective

inactive (comparative more inactive, superlative most inactive)

1. Not active, temporarily or permanently.

   The volcano is inactive, but is only dormant.

   Inactive user accounts may be deleted after 90 days.

2. Not engaging in physical activity.
   • 2021, Suzanne Byrd, Practical Tips on Supporting Boys with ADHD:

     […] exercise in general will lead to dramatic improvements in comparison with an inactive lifestyle.

3. Not functioning or operating; broken down

   The photocopier is inactive pending repair.

4. Retired from duty or service.

   Admiral Jones is now on the inactive list.

5. (chemistry) Relatively inert.

   Aluminium is inactive towards water.

6. (physics) Showing no optical activity in polarized light.

   Synthetic glycine is optically inactive as it contains equal amounts of the d- and l- form.

Synonyms

• (not active): dull, dormant; see also Thesaurus:inactive
• (not functioning or operating): idle

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “not active”): active

Derived terms

• inactive ingredient
• inactively
• inactivity

 

Translations

not active, temporarily or permanently

• Bulgarian: бездеен (bg) (bezdeen)
• Catalan: inactiu (ca)
• Czech: nečinný m
• Finnish: epäaktiivinen
• French: inactif (fr) m
• Galician: inactivo
• German: inaktiv (de), untätig (de)
• Greek: αδρανής (el) m or f (adranís)
• Italian: inattivo (it)
• Japanese: 不活発な (ja) (fukappatsu na), 休止中の (kyūshichū no), つまらない (ja) (tsumaranai)
• Manx: lhiastey, lhiastagh, gyn lheihll, neuharrooagh, neughastey, neuvioyr, neuvioyral
• Maori: houtete, hōngoingoi, makuku
• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: inaktiv

  Nynorsk: inaktiv

• Polish: nieaktywny (pl), bezczynny (pl)
• Portuguese: inativo (pt)
• Russian: неакти́вный (ru) (neaktívnyj), безде́йствующий (ru) (bezdéjstvujuščij), неде́йствующий (ru) (nedéjstvujuščij)
• Slovak: nečinný, neaktívny
• Spanish: inactivo (es)
• Swedish: inaktiv (sv)
• Turkish: aktif değil, çalışmıyor

not functioning or operating; broken down

• Bulgarian: неработещ (nerabotešt)
• Finnish: rikki (fi)
• Greek: χαλασμένος (el) m (chalasménos)
• Polish: zepsuty (pl) m
• Slovak: nefunkčný

retired from duty or service

• Bulgarian: запасен (bg) (zapasen)
• Finnish: eronnut (fi)
• Slovak: vo výslužbe

relatively inert

• Bulgarian: инертен (bg) (inerten)
• Catalan: inactiu (ca)
• Finnish: inaktiivinen
• Greek: αδρανής (el) m or f (adranís)
• Polish: bierny (pl)
• Slovak: neaktívny, nereaktívny, inertný (sk)

showing no optical activity in polarized light

• Finnish: inaktiivinen

in chemistry, not readily reacting with other elements or compounds

• Polish: obojętny (pl), bierny (pl)

Noun

inactive (plural inactives)

1. A person who does not take action.
   • 2016, Alan Marsh, Political Action in Europe and the USA, page 47:

     Typically inactives are poorly educated older women. Their lack of education is overwhelmingly the key factor in assigning the inactives to a life devoid of political activity of any sort.

Anagrams

• antivice, vaticine

French

Verb

inactive

1. inflection of inactiver:
   1. first/third-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
   2. second-person singular imperative

Adjective

inactive

1. feminine singular of inactif

Latin

Adjective

ināctīve

1. vocative masculine singular of ināctīvus

Portuguese

Verb

inactive

1. inflection of inactivar:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative

Spanish

Verb

inactive

1. inflection of inactivar:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative