inertia
noun
in·er·tia
i-ˈnər-shə 
-shē-ə
1
a
: a property of matter by which it remains at rest or in uniform motion in the same straight line unless acted upon by some external force
b
: an analogous property of other physical quantities (such as electricity)
2
: indisposition to motion, exertion, or change : inertness
Did you know?
Inertia is the inherent property of a body that makes it oppose any force that would cause a change in its motion. A body at rest and a body in motion both oppose forces that might cause acceleration. The inertia of a body can be measured by its mass, which governs its resistance to the action of a force, or by its moment of inertia about a specified axis, which measures its resistance to the action of a torque about the same axis.
Examples of inertia in a Sentence
He blames governmental inertia for the holdup.
After 10 years in an unsatisfying job she overcame her inertia and went back to school.
Recent Examples on the Web
Satisfaction lulls companies into a dangerous state of inertia.
—
Angelica Kopec, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Sebastian Tong, a family physician with UW Medicine who studies loneliness, told Axios last month that people have to work harder to overcome social inertia when their interactions are mostly online.
—Melissa Santos, Axios, 28 Oct. 2024
In a system already resistant to change, human psychology reinforces inertia.
—Christopher S. Chivvis, Foreign Affairs, 14 Oct. 2024
Historical trends, though, show ideological optimism is seldom sufficient to break inertia, especially absent some dramatic intervention.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 12 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for inertia 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Angelica Kopec, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Sebastian Tong, a family physician with UW Medicine who studies loneliness, told Axios last month that people have to work harder to overcome social inertia when their interactions are mostly online.
—Melissa Santos, Axios, 28 Oct. 2024
In a system already resistant to change, human psychology reinforces inertia.
—Christopher S. Chivvis, Foreign Affairs, 14 Oct. 2024
Historical trends, though, show ideological optimism is seldom sufficient to break inertia, especially absent some dramatic intervention.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 12 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for inertia
Dictionary Entries Near inertia
Cite this Entry
“Inertia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inertia. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
inertia
noun
in·er·tia
in-ˈər-shə
-shē-ə
1
: a property of matter by which it remains at rest or in unchanging motion unless acted on by some external force
2
: a tendency not to move or change
Medical Definition
inertia
noun
in·er·tia
in-ˈər-shə, -shē-ə
1
a
: a property of matter by which it remains at rest or in uniform motion in the same straight line unless acted upon by some external force
b
: an analogous property of other physical quantities (as electricity)
2
: lack of activity or movement
—used especially of the uterus in labor when its contractions are weak or irregular
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share