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Synonyms

inaction

American  
[in-ak-shuhn] / ɪnˈæk ʃən /

noun

  1. absence of action; idleness.

inaction British  
/ ɪnˈækʃən /

noun

  1. lack of action; idleness; inertia

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of inaction

First recorded in 1700–10; in- 3 + action

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Local law enforcement must not be complicit through silence or inaction when federal agents overstep legal and ethical boundaries,” Duarte said.

From Los Angeles Times

In its investigation following the 10 March 2025 collision, Humberside Police questioned Motion multiple times to try and account for the inaction on the bridge.

From BBC

To be honest, though, she may not be in the best place to accept that her actions — or inaction — affect others.

From MarketWatch

A Senedd health committee report into gynaecological cancer has found women have been "let down by the Welsh government's inaction".

From BBC

Frustrated with what they see as government inaction, some citizens have taken the legal route.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.