stagnate

verb

stag·​nate ˈstag-ˌnāt How to pronounce stagnate (audio)
stagnated; stagnating

intransitive verb

: to become or remain stagnant

Examples of stagnate in a Sentence

a puddle of stagnating water
Recent Examples on the Web In 2016, the Bank of Japan took the unorthodox step of bringing borrowing costs below zero, a bid to kick-start borrowing and lending and spur the country’s stagnating economy. Joe Rennison, New York Times, 19 Mar. 2024 The 2010s saw trust in government reach its lowest point as wages stagnated, financial crises rocked the European Union, and corruption roiled developing nations. Jacob Turcotte, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Mar. 2024 As the state’s population has stagnated, some believe demand may cool and dampen rent growth. Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 While corporate tax revenue has stagnated, the report says, executive pay has skyrocketed. Daniel De Visé, USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2024 The problem is especially acute in the city’s southeast, where property values are spiking even as wealth levels stagnate. Jaime Moore-Carrillo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 26 Feb. 2024 The first year of the war was a story of the resilience of people amid conflict that has turned into one of perseverance as the conflict has stagnated, with no end in sight. Claire Harbage, NPR, 23 Feb. 2024 However, as the state’s population growth has stagnated, some believe that demand may cool and dampen rent growth. Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024 In the near term, a military confrontation seems unlikely, in part because Chinese President Xi Jinping, who has been struggling to revive China’s stagnating economy and solidify political control at home, has shown a desire to ease tensions with the United States. Michael J. Mazarr, Foreign Affairs, 9 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stagnate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin stagnatus, past participle of stagnare, from stagnum body of standing water

First Known Use

1661, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stagnate was in 1661

Dictionary Entries Near stagnate

Cite this Entry

“Stagnate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stagnate. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

stagnate

verb
stag·​nate ˈstag-ˌnāt How to pronounce stagnate (audio)
stagnated; stagnating
: to be or become stagnant
stagnation noun

More from Merriam-Webster on stagnate

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