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

Production counts are entered at shift end, scrap is recorded after inspection, downtime is logged manually, and energy consumption is often allocated rather than measured. — Claudio Laterreur, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026

Anne just celebrated her 76th birthday on August 15, and hopefully took some downtime with her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence. — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 18 Aug. 2026

The company says that, in its experience, many treatments may reduce pain and downtime compared with some conventional approaches, with numbing cream not always required. — Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2026

Today’s patients really want immediate results, virtually no downtime, and choices that won’t disrupt their lives. — Miami Herald, 17 Aug. 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