Functioning and Inert
Opposite meaning words
Functioning
Functioning adjective - Being in effective operation.
Usage example: looked for a functioning washing machine, but the few that weren't broken were in use
Inert is an antonym for functioning.
Inert
Inert adjective - Not being in a state of use, activity, or employment.
Usage example: the inert, abandoned factories that are scattered all over that dying city
Functioning is an antonym for inert.
Cite this Source
Inert and Functioning. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 14, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/functioning/inert
Functioning & Inert. N.p., 2016. Web. 14 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/functioning/inert>.
Inert or Functioning. 2016. Accessed August 14, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/functioning/inert.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "functioning" and "inert" have occurred on timeline