stationary

adjective

sta·​tion·​ary ˈstā-shə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce stationary (audio)
1
: fixed in a station, course, or mode : immobile
2
: unchanging in condition
a stationary population

Did you know?

stationary or stationery?

The Internet is awash with mnemonics (“something (such as a word, a sentence, or a song) that helps people remember something“) designed to assist those who have trouble distinguishing between two similar words. A fair share of these turn out to be for the words stationery and stationary. The most commonly suggested method is to remember that you buy papER at a stationERy store. If this trick does not work for you, then perhaps it will help to remember that a stationery store is one that is run by a stationer. This word was originally applied to a bookseller, but by the middle of the 17th century it began to be used for a person who sells papers, pens, and office goods.

Examples of stationary in a Sentence

Einstein imagined a beam of light piercing the elevator. If the elevator were rising relative to the source of light, the beam would enter at a certain height on one side of the elevator and appear to curve on its way to a lower height on the opposite wall. Einstein then imagined that the elevator were stationary on the surface of the earth. Since he postulated that the two circumstances are the same, Einstein concluded that the same effect would have to hold true for both. In other words, gravity must bend light. Smithsonian, June 2005
By pushing the keys with the side of his fist and pushing foot pedals, the player transfers mechanical force to clappers, which strike the stationary bells, which are tuned to specific notes. Douglas Martin, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2003
And while atomic reactors and chemical storage facilities are the sort of stationary targets that invite bombing, bioweapons laboratory materials are small enough to be put in a truck and moved to another location. Gregg Easterbrook, New Republic, 25 Feb. 2002
The weather front has remained stationary over the Southeast. a stationary bicycle is good for exercise, but you won't enjoy the scenery very much
Recent Examples on the Web The same is true of the physical production, which glistens in the reflection of a downstage water’s edge, below a canopy of A-frames and vertical fluorescent bulbs glowing like stationary falling stars (the set is by David Zinn and Brett J. Banakis, the lighting by Ben Stanton). Naveen Kumar, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 There are several different types of lawn sprinklers available, including traveling, stationary, and telescoping, and some have the ability to rotate and oscillate for better water distribution around the lawn. Kat De Naoum, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Mar. 2024 Queen Creek police Chief Randy Brice said the attack lasted seconds and was not stationary. Robert Anglen, The Arizona Republic, 10 Mar. 2024 The downside is people must stay stationary while wearing the device and can’t fall asleep. Emily Mullin, WIRED, 6 Mar. 2024 The car was stationary during the entire incident because an unauthorized person was identified by the company to be in the vehicle, according to Waymo. Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2024 The Earthwise 13 Amp Leaf Mulcher is our choice for the best stationary leaf mulcher. Rachel Ahrnsen, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Feb. 2024 Dramatic photographs of the aftermath showed the bridge split in two with the large stricken ship stationary under the structure. Chris Lau, CNN, 22 Feb. 2024 The system did, however, successfully brake in 75% of the AAA’s tests with a stationary child-size target positioned in its rearward path, and avoided hitting it in fully half of its runs. Jim Gorzelany, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stationary.' 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

see station entry 1

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stationary was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near stationary

Cite this Entry

“Stationary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stationary. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

stationary

adjective
sta·​tion·​ary ˈstā-shə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce stationary (audio)
1
: fixed in a station, course, or position : immobile
a stationary loudspeaker
2
: unchanging in condition
a stationary population

Medical Definition

stationary

adjective
sta·​tion·​ary ˈstā-shə-ˌner-ē How to pronounce stationary (audio)
1
: fixed in position : not moving
2
: characterized by a lack of change
the patient's condition remained stationary

More from Merriam-Webster on stationary

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