inertia

noun

i-ˈnər-shə How to pronounce inertia (audio)
Definition of inertianext
as in laziness
an inclination not to do work or engage in activities the inertia that grips so many of the club's members is the reason why nothing ever gets done

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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 inertia Performers like this, and choreography that attempts to rid dancing of familiarity, dullness, and inertia, antagonize some people. — Jennifer Homans, The New Yorker, 19 Dec. 2024 For the past year, the Brooklyn Center for Theater Research—a theatrical collective with downtown cool—has been immersed in an evolving production of Uncle Vanya, Anton Chekhov’s timeless study of regret, inertia and longing. — Darryn King, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025 In her daily life, nothing that was felt could be acted upon; what could be acted upon followed routines of inertia or necessity. — Anelise Chen, The Atlantic, 25 Feb. 2025 Such a radical reengineering of U.S. strategy would face resistance from Democrats and some Republicans in Congress, and from the bureaucratic and international inertia that generations of American engagement have fostered. — Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for inertia

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inert
inertia
inertness
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“Inertia.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inertia. Accessed 26 Mar. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on inertia

Nglish: Translation of inertia for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about inertia

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