downtime

noun

down·​time ˈdau̇n-ˌtīm 

1

: time during which production is stopped especially during setup for an operation or when making repairs

2

: inactive time (such as time between periods of work)

napping during our downtime

an injured athlete facing months of downtime

Synonyms of downtime

• winter
• break

Examples of downtime in a Sentence

After a busy day at work, I look forward to some downtime at home.

The kids napped during their downtime.

We need to minimize network downtime.

Recent Examples on the Web

Minimal downtime, no numbing required, and results build over time. —Avery Newmark, AJC.com, 18 Mar. 2026

Reducing downtime After working at Microsoft and IBM, Hamilton joined AWS in 2009 and is credited for pioneering the data center cost models that proved how cloud computing is less expensive than traditional on-premises hardware. —Marc Saltzman, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026

Create public links or restrict access to specific users, and scale storage instantly with no downtime. —Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 15 Mar. 2026

Don’t overschedule your trip — kids need some downtime, try to build in breaks. —Dallas Morning News, 13 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for downtime

• airtime
• bedtime
• daytime
• enzyme
• halftime
• lifetime
• longtime
• lunchtime
• mealtime
• meantime
• nighttime
• noontime