INACTIVE

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does inactive mean? 

• INACTIVE (adjective)
  The adjective INACTIVE has 10 senses:

1. (chemistry) not participating in a chemical reaction; chemically inert

2. (pathology) not progressing or increasing; or progressing slowly

3. (military) not involved in military operations

4. not exerting influence or change

5. (of e.g. volcanos) not erupting and not extinct

6. lacking in energy or will

7. lacking activity; lying idle or unused

8. not engaged in full-time work

9. not active physically or mentally

10. not in physical motion

  Familiarity information: INACTIVE used as an adjective is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INACTIVE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(chemistry) not participating in a chemical reaction; chemically inert

Context example:

desired amounts of inactive chlorine

Similar:

unreactive ((chemistry) not reacting chemically)

Domain category:

chemical science; chemistry (the science of matter; the branch of the natural sciences dealing with the composition of substances and their properties and reactions)

Derivation:

inactivity (the state of being inactive)

Sense 2

Meaning:

(pathology) not progressing or increasing; or progressing slowly

Similar:

dead-end (lacking opportunities for development or advancement)

quiescent ((pathology) causing no symptoms)

latent ((pathology) not presently active)

indolent ((of tumors, e.g.) slow to heal or develop and usually painless)

flat (commercially inactive)

Domain category:

pathology (the branch of medical science that studies the causes and nature and effects of diseases)

Antonym:

active (tending to become more severe or wider in scope)

Sense 3

Meaning:

(military) not involved in military operations

Synonyms:

inactive; nonoperational

Domain category:

armed forces; armed services; military; military machine; war machine (the military forces of a nation)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Not exerting influence or change

Similar:

quiescent (not active or activated)

Antonym:

active (exerting influence or producing a change or effect)

Sense 5

Meaning:

(of e.g. volcanos) not erupting and not extinct

Synonyms:

dormant; inactive

Context example:

a dormant volcano

Similar:

quiescent (being quiet or still or inactive)

Attribute:

dormancy; quiescence; quiescency (a state of quiet (but possibly temporary) inaction)

Derivation:

inactiveness; inactivity (the state of being inactive)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Lacking in energy or will

Synonyms:

inactive; passive

Context example:

Much benevolence of the passive order may be traced to a disinclination to inflict pain upon oneself

Similar:

hands-off (not involving participation or intervention)

resistless; unresisting (offering no resistance)

supine (passive as a result of indolence or indifference)

Attribute:

passiveness; passivity (the trait of remaining inactive; a lack of initiative)

Derivation:

inactiveness; inactivity (a disposition to remain inactive or inert)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Lacking activity; lying idle or unused

Context example:

inactive machinery

Similar:

dark (not giving performances; closed)

dead (devoid of activity)

dull; slow; sluggish ((of business) not active or brisk)

idle; unused (not in active use)

strikebound (closed or immobilized by a strike)

Antonym:

active (full of activity or engaged in continuous activity)

Derivation:

inactiveness (the state of being inactive)

inactivity (being inactive; being less active)

Sense 8

Meaning:

Not engaged in full-time work

Context example:

an inactive member

Similar:

retired (no longer active in your work or profession)

off (not performing or scheduled for duties)

Antonym:

active (engaged in full-time work)

Derivation:

inactivity (being inactive; being less active)

Sense 9

Meaning:

Not active physically or mentally

Context example:

dreamy and inactive by nature

Similar:

desk-bound; deskbound (restricted to working in an office rather than in an active physical capacity)

abeyant; dormant (inactive but capable of becoming active)

hypoactive; underactive (abnormally inactive)

inert; sluggish; soggy; torpid (slow and apathetic)

sedentary (requiring sitting or little activity)

Also:

lethargic; unenergetic (deficient in alertness or activity)

Attribute:

activeness; activity (the trait of being active; moving or acting rapidly and energetically)

Antonym:

active (characterized by energetic activity)

Derivation:

inactiveness (a disposition to remain inactive or inert)

Sense 10

Meaning:

Not in physical motion

Synonyms:

inactive; motionless; static; still

Context example:

the inertia of an object at rest

Similar:

nonmoving; unmoving (not in motion)

Derivation:

inactivity (the state of being inactive)

 Context examples 

A class of genes that encode ATP hydrolyzing enzymes, which cycle between the ADP-bound inactive state and the ATP-bound active state.

(ATPase Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

The inactive, condensed X chromosome in a female somatic cell.

(Barr Body, NCI Thesaurus)

They go from very happy, "up," and active to very sad and hopeless, "down," and inactive, and then back again.

(Bipolar Disorder, NIH: National Institute of Mental Health)

Phosphorylation of MCM2 and MCM3 in the MCM complex by the CDC7L1 kinase complex converts the inactive MCM complex into an active helicase.

(CDC7L1 Kinase Complex, NCI Thesaurus)

This allele, which encodes putative inactive neutral ceramidase B protein, may be involved in ceramide metabolism.

(ASAH2B wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

BMS-641988 binds to the androgen receptor in target tissues, thereby preventing androgen-induced receptor activation, and facilitates the formation of inactive complexes that cannot be translocated to the nucleus.

(AR Antagonist BMS-641988, NCI Thesaurus)

This allele, which encodes aldo-keto reductase family 1 member C1 protein, plays a role in the conversion of progesterone to its inactive form, 20-alpha-dihydroxyprogesterone, and may have a role in the transport of bile.

(AKR1C1 wt Allele, NCI Thesaurus)

This protein is involved in the conversion of progesterone to its inactive form and may have a role in the transport of bile.

(Aldo-Keto Reductase Family 1 Member C1, NCI Thesaurus)

ARN-509 binds to AR in target tissues thereby preventing androgen-induced receptor activation and facilitating the formation of inactive complexes that cannot be translocated to the nucleus.

(Androgen Receptor Antagonist ARN-509, NCI Thesaurus)

Anti-HER3 monoclonal antibody LJM716 possesses a novel mechanism of action; LJM716 binds to and locks HER3 in the inactive conformation and does not interfere with its interaction with neuregulin (NRG).

(Anti-HER3 Monoclonal Antibody LJM716, NCI Thesaurus)