as in winter
a period of often involuntary inactivity or idleness
a knee operation that could result in months of downtime for the ski racer
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Recent Examples of downtime
Unbeknownst to Anthony, the entire experience is staged, every colleague around him is performing a role, and each moment—whether in conference rooms or during downtime—has been meticulously orchestrated.
—
Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Mar. 2026
Mann helped rally the group for a trip to the Georgia Aquarium, turning downtime into something that kept the team together rather than isolated.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 1 Mar. 2026
The firm also estimates that unplanned downtime costs industries roughly $50 billion annually, reinforcing the financial implications of limited system visibility.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026
So a lot of downtime the last couple days; the team is good enough to give us a couple days off to relax and recover.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downtime
Jessica Radloff, Glamour, 1 Mar. 2026
Mann helped rally the group for a trip to the Georgia Aquarium, turning downtime into something that kept the team together rather than isolated.
—C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 1 Mar. 2026
The firm also estimates that unplanned downtime costs industries roughly $50 billion annually, reinforcing the financial implications of limited system visibility.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 27 Feb. 2026
So a lot of downtime the last couple days; the team is good enough to give us a couple days off to relax and recover.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downtime
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downtime
Noun
-
In a winter filled with the unhappy buzz of screaming coaches and quitting players, a beautiful noise has appeared.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
-
The jacket layers easily under a winter coat, works well on its own in spring and fall, and is water-resistant for surprise rain.—
Rosie Marder,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Despite the 17-point margin on paper, the outcome was up for grabs at the break.—
Cody Thorn,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Leonard scored 10 in a row for the Clippers and Towns had eight straight for the Knicks, who trailed 64-55 at the break.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Downtime.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downtime. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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