inactionn.
/ɪnˈakʃn/, U.S. /ᵻnˈækʃən/ Absence of action or activity; inertia, apathy, passivity.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > inaction > [noun]
sleepc897
restc1175
passibilityc1485
slumber1554
cessation1603
quiescence1625
torpor1626
quiescency1629
inaction1638
inactivity1640
vacation1644
unactiveness1647
non-acting1648
passiveness1648
requiescence1654
unactivity1654
inertness1661
passivity1667
inactiveness1678
unaction1698
stagnation1711
supinity1725
immechanism1740
inertion1756
repose1757
lifelessness1833
stagnancy1837
unawakenedness1879
stasis1920
1638 A. Baker in Downside Rev. (1986) Jan. 39 The passive inaction more perfective to the soule than is the man's owne actuation.
1686 J. Weldon tr. Leon de Vennes Second Nativity of Jesus i. xxiii. 245 There is a state of Inaction, where the Soul is no more Acting, but Suffering under the simple motions of bare Faith.
1698 E. D'Auvergne Hist. Campagne Flanders 1697 160 This may be reckon'd the true Cause both of the inaction and weakness of the Allies for the two last Campagnes.
1707 tr. P. Le Lorrain de Vallemont Curiosities in Husbandry & Gardening 63 In Winter, the Trees are in a state of Inaction [Fr. inaction].
1796 E. Burke Let. 6 Jan. in Corr. (1961) III. 311 That your Lordship should meet your friends with some settled Plan, either of action or inaction.
1861 A. P. Stanley Lect. Eastern Church (1869) i. 35 In regard to missions the inaction of the Eastern Churches is well known.
1874 J. R. Green Short Hist. Eng. People iii. §2. 120 The revelation of a danger at home..shook him out of his contemptuous inaction.
1910 E. Wharton Let. 18 Mar. (1988) 199 H.J. had destroyed his stomach..& having reduced it to almost complete inaction, had been starved.
1990 New Scientist 13 Oct. 54/3 Time for a new law of robotics: A robot shall not leave a project skint, or by inaction cause it to be skint.
2007 Vanity Fair Dec. 212/3 The Mizo National Front.., a political party spawned by the Indian government's inaction.
Derivatives
inˈactionist n. a person who advocates or supports inaction.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > inaction > not doing > [noun] > advocate of doing nothing
inactionist1861
1861 Weekly Oregonian (Portland, Oregon) 18 May In the beginning of the secession movement, the South was divided into Immediate Actionists and Co-operationists, and Union men. Here, parties were divided into Union men and Inactionists.
1892 Temple Bar May 50 It is..his schemes for the reconstruction of society that most raise the gall of the great inactionist, who..fumes at interference.
1972 San Antonio (Texas) Express 27 Sept. (Editorials page) 1/1 Previous efforts to revise the cumbersome constitution have frittered away in frustration among special-interest groups, idealists or status-quo inactionists.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2021; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1638