- (a.) Not active; having no power to move; that does not or can not produce results; inert; as, matter is, of itself, inactive.
- (a.) Not disposed to action or effort; not diligent or industrious; not busy; idle; as, an inactive officer.
- (a.) Not active; inert; especially, not exhibiting any action or activity on polarized light; optically neutral; -- said of isomeric forms of certain substances, in distinction from other forms which are optically active; as, racemic acid is an inactive tartaric acid.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). inactive. Retrieved September 22, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/inactive/definitions/2019977 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "inactive" http://smartdefine.org/inactive/definitions/2019977 (accessed September 22, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, inactive, Smart Define, viewed 22 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/inactive/definitions/2019977>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "inactive" 27 May 2011. Web. 22 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/inactive/definitions/2019977> |