Inert

medium

in-URT

adjective

Definition

lacking the power to move or act; sluggish or chemically inactive

Examples

The patient lay inert on the stretcher, unresponsive to questions.
Argon is an inert gas that rarely reacts with other elements.

Synonyms

inactivemotionlesssluggishpassive

Antonyms

activedynamicreactiveenergetic

Categories

GRE Tip

Inert is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "inactive" or "motionless" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "active".

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