inaction

«inaction» in Mova's school dictionary: not doing anything, especially when something should be done — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples.

part of speech

noun (inaction, uncountable)

meaning for a pupil

Inaction means not doing anything, especially when something should be done. tree →

sense in the lessons

In news and citizenship lessons, people criticise «inaction on climate change» when governments do not act. In ethics, choosing inaction is still a choice with consequences: if you see bullying and do nothing, your inaction matters. In stories, a character's inaction can lead to disaster. Phrases: a period of inaction, inaction on, criticised for inaction.

examples

• The council was criticised for its inaction over the potholes. tree →
• Inaction on pollution harms the planet. tree →
• His inaction let the problem grow worse. tree →
• After weeks of inaction, the team finally made a plan. tree →
• Sometimes inaction is the safest choice, like waiting for help. tree →
• Doing nothing when a friend is bullied is a kind of inaction. tree →

note

Uncountable. Formal. «In-» means not; inaction is the opposite of action. Not the same as «inactive» (an adjective).

Trees and pragmatics

Every meaning and example of «inaction» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.