inert
/ɪˈnɜːt/ (bre, ipa) · /ɪˈnɜːrt/ (ame, ipa) · /i-ˈnərt/ (ame, mw)
inert — adjective
- inertpositive
- more inertcomparative
- most inertsuperlative
1. completely still and without any movement, often because of having no ability to
completely still and without any movement, often because of having no ability to shift position or act
After the car accident, the injured dog lay inert on the roadside until the vet arrived.
lay inert — describing an uninjured but immobile animal or person
The old factory machinery stood inert, covered in dust and rust after years of disuse.
When the power cut hit the laboratory, the robotic arms went inert and stopped mid-motion.
A gardener found a snake that appeared inert in the flowerbed, but it was simply sleeping.
The patient's left arm hung inert at her side after the stroke affected her right brain.
- motionless
more neutral, focusing only on the absence of visible movement
- stationary
suggests something deliberately kept in one position or not designed to move
- immobile
emphasises the inability to move rather than simply not moving
文法句型
inert + noun
verb + inert
用法筆記
Often used with verbs of position such as lie, stand, sit, or hang to describe a motionless state.
常見錯誤
2. lacking the energy, liveliness, or interesting qualities that would make someone
lacking the energy, liveliness, or interesting qualities that would make someone or something engaging or productive
The committee meeting became inert after two hours of repetitive discussion about the same topic.
inert meeting — describing a boring, unproductive situation
Kwame felt unusually inert on the sofa, unable to find the motivation to start his homework.
The novel's plot was so inert that many readers put it down after the first chapter.
Without proper leadership, the team's morale grew inert and no one volunteered fresh ideas.
文法句型
inert + noun
feel / seem / become + inert
用法筆記
Applied to people, groups, events, or creative works. Unlike sense 1 (physical stillness), this sense describes a lack of spirit, interest, or productive energy.
常見錯誤
3. describes a gas or substance that does not react easily with other chemicals whe
describes a gas or substance that does not react easily with other chemicals when brought into contact with them
Argon is an inert gas used inside light bulbs to prevent the metal filament from burning.
inert gas — argon, helium, neon are common examples
The lab technicians stored the reactive sodium in an inert oil to stop it from touching air.
Engineers chose an inert coating for the water pipes to avoid any reaction with the drinking supply.
Because nitrogen is largely inert under normal conditions, it is used as a protective atmosphere in food packaging.
- unreactive
more transparently descriptive than 'inert' for non-specialist readers
- neutral
suggests the substance neither acts as an acid nor a base
- reactive
tending to undergo chemical change when mixed with other substances
文法句型
inert + noun
chemically inert
用法筆記
Common in scientific and technical writing. The opposite of this sense is reactive. Distinguished from senses 1 and 2 by the domain context (chemistry, materials science).