inaction
/ɪˈnækʃən/noun★Intermediate— failure to act
general
The state of not acting or doing anything, especially when action is expected or required.
His inaction in the face of danger was seen as cowardice.
He was seen as cowardly because he did nothing when faced with danger.
The company's inaction on climate change has angered environmentalists.
Environmentalists are angry because the company is not taking steps to address climate change.
💡
Often used to criticize someone for not taking necessary or expected action.
Collocations
inaction byfailure to act by someoneinaction in the face offailure to act despite a situationinaction onfailure to act regarding a specific issue
💡Pro Tip
Common Usage
Use 'inaction' to criticize someone for not taking necessary action.
📖Word Origin
From Middle French 'inaction', from Latin 'in-' (not) + 'actio' (action).
📝Usage Notes
Often used in formal or critical contexts to describe a lack of response or effort.
Word Breakdown
in-
not
prefixaction
the state of doing something
rootEnglish Dictionary