inaction

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the state of doing nothing, especially a failure to act when action is needed

   Months of government inaction allowed the housing shortage to worsen.

From French inaction, analyzed in English as in- ("not") + action. Action came through Old French from Latin actio ("a doing"), from agere ("do, drive"). Inaction can therefore denote either simple inactivity or a consequential failure to act.

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