fallow 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of fallownext
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

fallow

2 of 2

verb

as in to rake

Related Words

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
Adjective
In recent days, the property remained largely fallow, other than the thick underbrush and countless weeds that choked the site, which is about one-third of an acre in size, this news organization’s direct observation of the property shows. — George Avalos, Mercury News, 24 June 2026 Those mid-’80s years, so crucial to a 10-year-old kid forming his fandom, were fallow. — Sean Gregory, Time, 14 June 2026
Verb
District officials say that could force growers to fallow hundreds of thousands of acres. — Jeff St. John, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026 Continuing to cut farm water allocations is on track to fallow a million acres or more of irrigated farmland in the state, causing a devastating loss of jobs and economic productivity. — Edward Ring, Oc Register, 25 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fallow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fallow
  1. dormant
  2. rake
  3. off
  4. hoe
  5. vacant
  6. list
  7. idle
  8. harrow
Adjective
  • In the team's 3-2 loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Thursday at Progressive Field, the offense was dormant.
    — Ryan Canfield OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Paramount is taking over the Bay Theater, the long-shuttered cinema at Palisades Village formerly leased by Netflix, adding to a wave of revivals of dormant movie theaters across Los Angeles.
    — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of dormant
Verb
  • For some homeowners, that means raking or blowing leaves and putting them into composting bags or on the side of the road to be hauled off to municipal compost centers.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The lines are chalked, the grass is cut and the dirt has been raked.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of rake
Adjective
  • There is no off day for travel after Friday’s game was postponed by rain.
    — Joe Reedy, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • There is no off day for travel after Friday's game was postponed by rain.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of off
Verb
  • The post-op row, however, is proving tough to hoe for a small business owner used to putting in hours well beyond overtime.
    — Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 May 2026
  • The $10 general admission during the Lilac Festival on weekends includes petting zoo, lilac maze, hoe down & jug band shows, lawn games, and lilac viewing.
    — Linda Mcintosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Definition of hoe
Adjective
  • Kaikobad recalled a time when roughly 70% to 75% of downtown commercial spaces were vacant.
    — Dan Raby, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The Fresh Market of Shawnee, part of the El Mercado Fresco family of brands, is now open in the long-vacant space.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of vacant
Verb
  • The manufacturer lists approximately 2,485 miles with a 40,000-pound payload.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Then came an Excel spreadsheet, listing some 20,000 voters by name, date of birth and address.
    — Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of list
Adjective
  • The aim is to make better use of satellite capacity that might otherwise sit idle when a system is outside its primary coverage area.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Overnight, one of the polishing tools had experienced an idle time of two hundred and nine seconds.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of idle
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
Definition of harrow

Browse Nearby Words

fallouts
fallow
fallowed
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Cite this Entry

“Fallow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fallow. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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