- 1not doing anything; not active Some animals are inactive during the daytime. politically inactive The volcano has been inactive for 50 years.
Definitions on the go
Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
- 2not in use; not working an inactive oil well
- 3having no effect an inactive drug/disease opposite active
NAmE//ˌɪnækˈtɪvət̮i//
noun [uncountable] periods of enforced inactivity and boredom The inactivity of the local government was deplorable.See inactive in the Oxford Advanced Learner's DictionaryCheck pronunciation: inactive