as in dormant
not being in a state of use, activity, or employment
the coal mine has been lying fallow since the drop in prices made it unprofitable
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of fallow
Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2023
Congress recently allocated $4 billion in drought funding that can be used to pay farmers to fallow their land and not use their water.
—Ben Tracy, Andy Bast, CBS News, 31 Jan. 2023
Steven Zeitch, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2025
The two-day multi-genre affair will take place at Adelaide’s Rymill & King Rodney Parks across the weekend of Oct. 25-26, having returned following a fallow year in 2024.
—Tyler Jenke, Billboard, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fallow
Adjective
Compromising probably would require money — perhaps tax money — to pay farmers to fallow their land and governments to build new canals and repair old ones.
—Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2023
Congress recently allocated $4 billion in drought funding that can be used to pay farmers to fallow their land and not use their water.
—Ben Tracy, Andy Bast, CBS News, 31 Jan. 2023
Verb
Sure, there was an individual performance in a variety or music program category during some of those fallow 20th century years, but sketch performers hardly won that, either, and besides, who even remembers that award?
—Steven Zeitch, HollywoodReporter, 20 Aug. 2025
The two-day multi-genre affair will take place at Adelaide’s Rymill & King Rodney Parks across the weekend of Oct. 25-26, having returned following a fallow year in 2024.
—Tyler Jenke, Billboard, 14 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fallow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fallow
Adjective
-
The latent varicella zoster virus lies dormant in the body after a person has chicken pox.—
Amy McGorry,
FOXNews.com,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Planting Too Late The best time to plant fruit trees is in spring or fall, when the trees are dormant and the weather is still mild.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
What if your fall clean-up could involve less raking and more pumpkin spice lattes?—
Erica Browne Grivas,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Oct. 2025
-
In Milwaukee, there actually isn't any legislation that requires a resident to rake leaves that end up on their property from neighbors, the city Department of Public Works confirmed to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in an email.—
Cailey Gleeson,
jsonline.com,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
On the right side of the room, a steel cut image is projected from the wall with fiberglass rods arranged in an off center trapezoid.—
Mario Rodriguez,
Miami Herald,
23 Oct. 2025
-
And then the third Wednesday is an off week.—
Wendy Grossman Kantor,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Then a tall, solemn Mexican appeared, hoe in hand.—
Jack O'Connor,
Outdoor Life,
23 Oct. 2025
-
The wineries of Oregon’s northern Willamette Valley have long hoed their own path.—
Liza B. Zimmerman,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
And after signing Christian Braun to a five-year, $125 million rookie extension before the deadline last Monday, Denver is already up against it — with 11 roster spots penciled in and four spots vacant.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
26 Oct. 2025
-
Carlsbad has owned the vacant land since at least the 1980s.—
Phil Diehl,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Lowry has been listed as a soldier missing in action (MIA) ever since.—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
-
While the Hong Kong listing should enhance the company’s liquidity and visibility, Zephirin added that a valuation re-rating is unlikely without meaningful gains in capital efficiency or strategy execution.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The production of that vehicle could be idle for several weeks, a union leader familiar with the situation told the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network.—
Jamie L. LaReau,
USA Today,
20 Oct. 2025
-
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, in fact, did well to sign Wentz — idle after not being picked up by anyone after last season — the week after training camp came to a close.—
John Shipley,
Twin Cities,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Before the big race, the track was harrowed, bringing it to a better and drier racing surface.—
John Cherwa,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2025
-
The research fellow who met me, Birte, was in her forties, and appeared as if she had been harrowed by her work.—
John Ganz,
Harper's Magazine,
22 May 2024
Cite this Entry
“Fallow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fallow. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share