From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishinertin‧ert /ɪˈnɜːt $ -ɜːrt/ adjective 1 technicalHC not producing a chemical reaction when combined with other substances inert gases2 NOT MOVING literary not moving, or not having the strength or power to move He lay, inert, in his bed.3 SLOWnot willing to do anything The government was inert and inefficient. —inertness noun [uncountable]
Examples from the Corpus
inert• She lay there, inert.• School officials remained inert on the issue of bullying.Origin inert (1600-1700) Latin iners “unskilled, doing nothing”, from ars “skill, art” 