inactivity

/ˌɪnækˈtɪvəti/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌɪnækˈtɪvəti/ (ame, ipa) · /¦in+/ (ame, mw)

inactivity — noun

1. a period or situation in which a person or thing is not doing anything, not movi

1.名詞B2
釋義

a period or situation in which a person or thing is not doing anything, not moving, or not working

例句

After breaking his leg, Christopher's inactivity lasted for almost three months.

period of inactivity — common with time phrases

The factory's inactivity during the strike cost the company millions of dollars.

inactivity during [event] — pattern with causal circumstances

同義詞
  • idleness

    stronger connotation of laziness or purposefully avoiding work; inactivity is more neutral

  • stillness

    limited to physical lack of movement; inactivity covers a broader range

  • stagnation

    implies a negative state where progress should be happening but is not

  • dormancy

    suggests a temporary, natural pause that may end, like a sleeping animal or a plant in winter

反義詞
  • activity

    the direct opposite — a state of doing things or moving

  • movement

    specifically physical motion; narrower than activity

用法筆記

Frequently paired with adjectives like physical, economic, or political to specify the type of non-activity. Unlike idle, inactivity does not imply laziness — it is a neutral description of a state.

常見錯誤

❌The inactivity of the children was annoying.' (when meaning willful laziness)
✅The children's idleness was annoying.
💡Inactivity is a neutral lack of activity; for willful avoidance of work, use idleness or laziness.
❌There were many inactivities during the meeting.
✅There was a lot of inactivity during the meeting.
💡Inactivity is an uncountable noun and does not have a plural form.