Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

inaction

/ɪnˈækʃən/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.13 in modern English

Syllables: in-ac-tion
IPA: /ɪnˈækʃən/

10

Scrabble Score

8

Letters

3

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

Lack of action or activity or labor

Countable; Uncountable

Example Sentences

"The school's inaction further sanctions this misbehavior."
"Hmm, yes, 'negotiations' is an interesting choice of words given that ministers have steadfastly refused to meet the unions for the past year; a clear case of industrial inaction."

Etymology

From French inaction. Morphologically in- + action.

Origin

Source language: French

Word Breakdown

Prefix: in
Root: inaction

Usage

Inflected Forms

inactions (plural)

Phrases

pseudo-activity

Frequently Paired Words

inactive inactively inactivity ineffectiveness pseudo-activity

Synonyms

idleness rest inertness inertia inactivity inactiveness

Antonyms

action

Rhymes With

action reaction interaction transaction satisfaction attraction fraction extraction faction distraction traction contraction

Questions

How do you pronounce inaction?: The recorded pronunciation is /ɪnˈækʃən/.
What does inaction mean?: Lack of action or activity or labor
Where does inaction come from?: It is traced to French.

How to pronounce inaction

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “inaction”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ɪnˈækʃən/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “inaction”.
Repeat and practice — Say “inaction” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.