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

Working parents may not be able to carve out the time needed for things like unstructured play or simply enjoying downtime with their kids. —Alex Vance, Parents, 25 Feb. 2026

Regarding the auction, Salter — speaking from a moment of downtime between his sons’ Little League and travel baseball practices — noted that his uncles were happy with the price. —Marin Independent Journal, Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2026

Predictive analytics reduces downtime while smart simulations accelerate product design. —Brian Womack, Dallas Morning News, 25 Feb. 2026

American Airlines alone suffered about $31 million (£23 million) in losses tied to engine repairs, replacement leasing and aircraft downtime, prosecutors said. —Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 24 Feb. 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