stagnate
Stop developing or progressing
Examples
In a meeting
“Our growth has stagnated in the past two quarters.”
Over coffee
“My career feels like it's stagnating—I need a new challenge.”
Why this word
stop
Stagnate implies lack of movement or progress leading to deterioration, while stop is simply cessation
plateau
Stagnate has negative connotations of becoming stale or declining, while plateau is neutral leveling off
idle
Stagnate emphasizes prolonged inactivity with decay, while idle may be temporary and less deteriorative
Usage tip
Use when describing lack of movement, growth, or progress over time
Etymology
Latin 'stagnare' (to form a pool of standing water)
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Related words
deteriorate
To become progressively worse over time.
dormant
Temporarily inactive but capable of becoming active
broach
To bring up or introduce a topic for discussion
streamline
To make a process or system more efficient by simplifying or eliminating unnecessary steps.
delegate
To assign a task or responsibility to someone else.
validate
To confirm that something is correct, sound, or meets requirements.