vegetates
Lives without purpose
Vegetates means to live in a dull, inactive way, like a plant that merely exists without moving or thinking: He just vegetates in front of the television all day.
The word carries judgment—someone who vegetates is wasting time or potential.
In medical contexts, a patient in a vegetative state maintains basic biological functions but lacks conscious awareness.
Passing time idly
- loungingReclining in idleness
- couch potatoHabitual sedentary TV watcher
- vegging outRelaxing mindlessly, inactive
- slackingAvoiding effort deliberately
lazing · dawdling · pottering · bumming · mooching · lollygagging · killing time · wasting time
Deeply unconscious, unrousable
- unresponsiveFailing to react or reply
- brain-deadIrreversibly without consciousness
- incapacitatedMade unable to act
- bedriddenUnable to leave mattress
life support · inert · immobile · hospitalized · catatonic
Growing weak, losing vigor
- witheringDrying and declining
- atrophyingWeakening through disuse
- decliningDecreasing in strength
- deterioratingBecoming progressively worse
stalling · stuck · going nowhere · rusting · rotting · festering · moldering · dormant
Seeds beginning growth
- growingIncreasing or enlarging
- germinatingStarting to grow
- rootingActively cheering someone on
- buddingDeveloping from an outgrowth
flourishing · thriving · propagating · spreading · creeping · climbing · leafing · blooming
loafing
Passing time idly
- loungingReclining in idleness
- couch potatoHabitual sedentary TV watcher
- vegging outRelaxing mindlessly, inactive
slacking · lazing · dawdling · pottering · bumming · mooching · lollygagging · killing time · wasting time · doing nothing
comatose
Deeply unconscious, unrousable
- unresponsiveFailing to react or reply
- brain-deadIrreversibly without consciousness
- incapacitatedMade unable to act
bedridden · life support · inert · immobile · hospitalized · catatonic
languishing
Growing weak, losing vigor
- witheringDrying and declining
- atrophyingWeakening through disuse
- decliningDecreasing in strength
deteriorating · stalling · stuck · going nowhere · rusting · rotting · festering · moldering · dormant · static
sprouting
Seeds beginning growth
- growingIncreasing or enlarging
- germinatingStarting to grow
- rootingActively cheering someone on
budding · flourishing · thriving · propagating · spreading · creeping · climbing · leafing · blooming · photosynthesizing
vegetatesthrives
Succeeds and grows
flourishes · strives · achieves · excels · blossoms
vegetatesengages
Occupies or participates with
thinks · focuses · concentrates · contemplates · ponders
- rainforest vegetationPlants in tropical woodlands
- dense vegetationClosely packed plant growth
- lush vegetationDense thriving plant life
- native vegetationPlants indigenous to an area
- emergent vegetationPlants rooted underwater, stems above
- sparse vegetationMinimal plant life present
vegetation, vegetate, vegetative, vegetating, vegetated, vegetatively