Inert
/ɪˈnɜrt/
adjectiveB2
Definition
Inert describes something or someone that does not move or does not react. It can mean lacking the power or ability to act or change. Sometimes it is used to describe objects that are still or substances that do not easily react with others.
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See It in Action
Not moving or not able to move
- •The car remained inert after the engine stopped working.
- •The patient was inert, lying quietly in bed without any movement.
- •The inert body floated on the water without any sign of life.
Chemically inactive or not reactive
- •Helium is an inert gas because it does not easily react with other elements.
- •The scientist used an inert material to prevent unwanted chemical reactions.
- •Inert substances are often used in experiments to keep conditions stable.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "inert" like "still" (A1 word), but stronger—completely without movement or action
- ✓Picture a rock lying on the ground, not moving no matter what happens around it
- ✓It's the feeling when you are very tired and do not want to do anything, just resting and inactive
- ✓Sounds like "in-HURT" → imagine something hurt so badly it cannot move or act anymore
- ✓Think of a calm lake on a windless day—no waves, no movement, completely quiet and still
- ✓NOT like "sleep" (temporary rest), "inert" means no action or movement at all, often permanently or for a long time
- ✓NOT like "lazy" (choosing not to act), "inert" means unable or without power to act, not just unwilling
- ✓NOT like "dead" (no life), "inert" can describe objects or substances that are alive but not active or reactive
- ✓NOT like "active" or "moving," inert is the opposite—no energy or motion
Try Other Words
- •Inactive: not active or working (Use when something is not working or moving but could start again)
- •Motionless: without any movement (Use when focusing on physical lack of movement)
- •Lifeless: without life or energy (Use when something looks dead or without energy)
- •Immobile: unable to move (Use when something cannot move physically)
Unboxing
- •Prefix: "in-" meaning "not" or "without"
- •Root: "ert" from Latin "ardere" meaning "to be active" or "to burn" (in a changed form)
- •Etymology: From Latin "iners" meaning "without skill or activity"
- •Historical development: First used in English in the 1600s to describe lack of movement or activity
- •Modern usage: Used in science to describe non-reactive substances and in everyday language to describe lack of movement or action
Reflect & Connect
•Can something be considered inert even if it looks alive or moving very slowly? Why or why not?
•How might understanding the word inert help you describe feelings or situations where there is no action or change?
Fill in the blanks
1.The scientist used an inert gas ___ to avoid reactions with other chemicals.
2.After the accident, the machine remained inert and did not ___ no matter how much we tried.
3.Feeling tired and inert, she could not find the energy to ___ or speak.
4.Unlike a lazy person, an inert object cannot ___ or change by itself.
5.The rock was inert, lying ___ on the ground without any movement.
6.Inert substances are important in experiments because they do not ___ with other materials.
7.When someone is inert in a situation, it often means they feel ___ or unable to act.