sedentary
adjective
sed·en·tary
ˈse-dᵊn-ˌter-ē 
1
: not migratory : settled
sedentary birds
sedentary civilizations
2
a
: doing or requiring much sitting
a sedentary job
b
: not physically active
a sedentary lifestyle
3
: permanently attached
sedentary barnacles
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Sit and Learn About Sedentary
Sedentary comes from Latin sedēre, meaning "to sit." Other descendants of sedēre include dissident, insidious, preside, reside, and subsidy. Sedēre is also the base of the rare sedens, a noun meaning "a person who remains a resident of the place or region of his or her birth."
Examples of sedentary in a Sentence
Editing the dictionary is a sedentary job.
The work is very sedentary.
Their health problems were caused by their sedentary lifestyles.
He became sedentary later on in his life.
Recent Examples on the Web
Their risk factors included being sedentary, eating an unhealthy diet, having a family history of memory problems or a genetic predisposition for them, having heart disease risk factors, or belonging to certain ethnic groups that have a higher risk of developing dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
—
Alice Park, Time, 30 July 2025
This amount is based on a reference weight of 154 pounds (70 kilograms) and a sedentary (inactive) lifestyle.354
For example, using this estimate, a man weighing 200 pounds (90 kilograms) should consume a minimum of 72 grams of protein per day.
—Lauren O'Connor, Health, 28 July 2025
And a study published in The Lancet that examined the prevalence of adolescent depression among English youth suggested that increased sedentary behavior in adolescence could affect a person’s mental health into adulthood.
—Henry Abbott, The Atlantic, 12 July 2025
Today, however, with our explosion of obesity and excessively sedentary living, progressively younger children are being diagnosed as Type 2 in frighteningly high numbers.
—Bryant Stamford, The Courier-Journal, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sedentary
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Alice Park, Time, 30 July 2025
This amount is based on a reference weight of 154 pounds (70 kilograms) and a sedentary (inactive) lifestyle.354
For example, using this estimate, a man weighing 200 pounds (90 kilograms) should consume a minimum of 72 grams of protein per day.
—Lauren O'Connor, Health, 28 July 2025
And a study published in The Lancet that examined the prevalence of adolescent depression among English youth suggested that increased sedentary behavior in adolescence could affect a person’s mental health into adulthood.
—Henry Abbott, The Atlantic, 12 July 2025
Today, however, with our explosion of obesity and excessively sedentary living, progressively younger children are being diagnosed as Type 2 in frighteningly high numbers.
—Bryant Stamford, The Courier-Journal, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sedentary
Cite this Entry
“Sedentary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sedentary. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sedentary
adjective
sed·en·tary
ˈsed-ᵊn-ˌter-ē
1
: not migratory : settled
sedentary birds
2
: doing or requiring much sitting
a sedentary job
Medical Definition
sedentary
adjective
sed·en·tary
ˈsed-ᵊn-ˌter-ē
: doing or requiring much sitting : characterized by a lack of physical activity
increased risk of heart disease for those with sedentary jobs
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