Word
Definition
adj. not moving or not having the power to move. In science, it describes a gas or substance that does not react with other chemicals.
adj. lacking the ability or strength to move; chemically inactive. Often describes substances that do not undergo chemical reactions under a set of given conditions.
Examples
“Helium is an inert gas.”
“The patient lay inert on the bed while the doctors performed their final checks before the procedure.”
“While the noble gases are famously inert, modern chemistry has demonstrated that even they can be forced into compounds under extreme laboratory conditions of pressure and temperature.”
Examples
simple
“Helium is an inert gas.”
contextual
“The patient lay inert on the bed while the doctors performed their final checks before the procedure.”
complex
“While the noble gases are famously inert, modern chemistry has demonstrated that even they can be forced into compounds under extreme laboratory conditions of pressure and temperature.”
Usage
Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'remain' or 'lie'.
Real-World Examples
“Most things humans produced could be disposed of into the environment: Stone, brick and glass are inert; paper and wood biodegrade; most metals will rust away.” “She said it was important to remember that “soil is not an inert material.” Etymology
From French inerte, from Latin iners (“inactive, inert”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/inert
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0