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

Furthermore, silver mining is inherently cyclical, and cost pressures, equipment downtime, or regulatory challenges in Mexico may hinder future earnings. —Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026

This foundation enables organizations to shorten recovery times, preserve productivity, and protect revenue when downtime strikes. —CBS News, 22 Jan. 2026

Zoe Saldaña gave fans a rare glimpse of her downtime at home with her lookalike sons on January 20. —Lara Walsh, InStyle, 21 Jan. 2026

For future commercial-scale plants, a single unmitigated runaway event could result in millions of dollars in damage and months of downtime. —Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 21 Jan. 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