stagnation

noun

stag·​na·​tion stag-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce stagnation (audio)
: a stagnant state or condition : a state or condition marked by lack of flow, movement, or development
In short, the increasing contamination and stagnation of the segment of river had become a matter of concern.Ryan Holifield and Nick Schuelke
In 1664, when plague had struck Amsterdam again, with the usual stagnation of trade that followed its worst attacks, the sight of a shooting star was taken as axiomatic confirmation of divine displeasure.Simon Schama

Examples of stagnation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Many companies report voluntary turnover rates close to zero in 2025, raising concerns about organizational stagnation. Kara Dennison, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025 Operatives attribute the stagnation to the split within the party. Amie Parnes, The Hill, 11 Sep. 2025 In the United States, small reductions in mortality among older adults were combined with a stagnation among working-age adults and increases in mortality among young adults, leading to the nation’s poor performance compared with other high-income Western countries. Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025 At home, Russia’s wartime economy looks like a parody of Soviet stagnation, exactly what Putin warned against in the early years of his presidency. Jeremy Shapiro, The Atlantic, 10 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for stagnation

Word History

First Known Use

1644, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stagnation was in 1644

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Cite this Entry

“Stagnation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stagnation. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.

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