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

Poor organization of changeovers, repairs or downtime can generate unnecessary power consumption spikes and, consequently, increase costs. — Adrian Stelmach, Forbes.com, 28 Sep. 2026

Repeating that process places significant stress on components, increasing operational and capital costs due to the risk of failure, maintenance requirements and downtime. — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 26 Sep. 2026

If that holds up in real-world use, flight schools could squeeze in more than six sorties per aircraft each day, without the downtime of refueling a gas tank. — New Atlas, 25 Sep. 2026

During downtime, Benioff practiced violin and tried to reconcile his love of music with his understanding of science. — Danny Robb, JSTOR Daily, 25 Sep. 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