stationary
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
staying in one place and not moving.
standing still; not moving or not intended to be moved.
Simple“The car remained stationary at the red light for several minutes.”
In context“The truck collided with a stationary vehicle that had broken down in the middle of the highway during the storm.”
PitfallI need to buy some new stationary for my office. I need to buy some new stationery for my office.Use 'stationary' for things that don't move. Use 'stationery' (with an 'e') for paper and envelopes.
Synonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
staying at the same level or in the same condition.
not changing in condition, value, or quantity; remaining at a stable level.
Simple“The population of the small village has remained stationary for ten years.”
In context“Economic indicators suggest that prices will remain stationary throughout the next quarter, providing some relief to consumers.”
UsageOften used in academic or technical reports to describe data that does not trend upward or downward.
Antonyms
stationary vs stationery — Stationary describes a lack of movement, while stationery refers to paper and writing supplies.
“This gave him a way to visualize the flight track and determine when the bird was in flight or stationary.”
“Under the near-weightless conditions on the ISS, we only need to apply far smaller forces to keep the droplet stationary—and that is a huge advantage," explains Busch.”
From Latin stationarius, from statio, ultimately from stō (“to stand”). Doublet of stationer.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.