1
as in suspension
a state of temporary inactivity
some volcanoes have eruptive cycles marked by long stretches of dormancy
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in inertia
lack of action or activity
a fighting force that could be roused instantly from dormancy to action
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dormancy
Shortening days toward the end of summer are the signal for trees to prepare for dormancy.
—
Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025
After more than a decade of dormancy, the teams clash Saturday at Columbia for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff in their first meeting since 2011.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 31 Aug. 2025
Plants grow from a tuber rather than a true bulb but follow the same cycle of blooming and dormancy as spring flowering bulbs.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 24 Aug. 2025
If a tiny wasp can hit pause on its biological clock by going into dormancy, maybe there are ways to do something similar in more complex animals.
—Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dormancy
Beth Botts, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2025
After more than a decade of dormancy, the teams clash Saturday at Columbia for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff in their first meeting since 2011.
—Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 31 Aug. 2025
Plants grow from a tuber rather than a true bulb but follow the same cycle of blooming and dormancy as spring flowering bulbs.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 24 Aug. 2025
If a tiny wasp can hit pause on its biological clock by going into dormancy, maybe there are ways to do something similar in more complex animals.
—Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dormancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dormancy
Noun
-
Rashee Rice, who is sitting out the first six games with a suspension for violating the NFL’s conduct policy, can return to the practice facility this week.—
Blair Kerkhoff,
Kansas City Star,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Suspicious activity could lead to the disqualification of candidates and a permanent suspension of the Athlete of the Week poll.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
This might look like prolonged dependence on parents for housing and finances, difficulty committing to work or education, avoidance of romantic or social commitments or a general inertia around planning for the future.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Driven by the balance between gravity and inertia, the weight shifts automatically as vibrations change.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Sure, this quiet drama is spiked by a certain amount of suspense over whether the family at its center will get caught.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Sep. 2025
-
Does ‘107 Days’ read ‘like a suspense novel’?—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
In addition to age (65 and up), factors that increase the risk of severe COVID include chronic conditions like diabetes, HIV, and heart, lung, or kidney disease; being overweight or having obesity; and behaviors like smoking or physical inactivity.—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
23 Sep. 2025
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Talreja highlights that stress can indirectly worsen cardiovascular health by encouraging unhealthy habits—like overeating, inactivity, and alcohol use—so maintaining routine checkups is crucial.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Time,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Russian state propaganda is formidable, but sufficient economic hardship could disturb the quiescence of Russian society.—
Celeste A. Wallander,
Foreign Affairs,
9 Sep. 2025
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On September 16, 2024, after a long period of quiescence in interest rate policy, the Federal Reserve finally lowered the Fed Funds Rate target – the first downshift in more than 4 years.—
George Calhoun,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
MoveOn members will not be scared into submission or silenced into inaction.—
Hannah Parry,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 Sep. 2025
-
Trump’s accelerationist instincts, the zeal of his fan base, and the complicity, cowardice, and inaction of the Democratic Party in the face of the governing Republican trifecta made the possibility of a military dictatorship in the United States seem borderline plausible.—
Seth Harp,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dormancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dormancy. Accessed 27 Sep. 2025.
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