1
as in suspension
a state of temporary inactivity
some volcanoes have eruptive cycles marked by long stretches of dormancy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dormancy
The timing of corpse flower blooms is difficult to predict, often following years of dormancy.
—
ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026
Small earthquakes had been rumbling since January, and in March, the 5,417-foot-tall subglacial volcano at the southern end of the country concluded 187 years of dormancy with the beginnings of a quiet lava flow.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Apr. 2026
Bare root roses are sold in a dormant state and should be planted in early spring, before plants emerge from dormancy.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2026
Warm-season turf will look brown and dead during its dormancy in the cool months of fall and winter.
—Markis Hill, Kansas City Star, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dormancy
ABC News, 15 Apr. 2026
Small earthquakes had been rumbling since January, and in March, the 5,417-foot-tall subglacial volcano at the southern end of the country concluded 187 years of dormancy with the beginnings of a quiet lava flow.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Apr. 2026
Bare root roses are sold in a dormant state and should be planted in early spring, before plants emerge from dormancy.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2026
Warm-season turf will look brown and dead during its dormancy in the cool months of fall and winter.
—Markis Hill, Kansas City Star, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dormancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dormancy
Noun
-
The Republican president said the ceasefire includes a suspension of all kinetic activity and the exchange of 1,000 prisoners by each country.—
Darlene Superville,
Chicago Tribune,
9 May 2026
-
Some are backing away from exclusionary discipline like suspensions and expulsions and have embraced schoolwide approaches that reward positive behavior and provide social skills practice through games and role-playing.—
Stacker,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
My field has spent a decade pointing to Schedule I, scarce funding, and regulatory inertia as the reasons our progress has been so slow, and those complaints are now being taken seriously at the highest levels of government.—
Peter S. Hendricks,
STAT,
6 May 2026
-
The result is a budget that reflects institutional inertia more than the needs of Angelenos.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
McCarthy has a deft way with crafting suspense in his script, leading with character first, planting conversational bombs that go off at intervals throughout the plot.—
Katie Walsh,
Twin Cities,
2 May 2026
-
McCarthy has a deft way with crafting suspense in his script, leading with character first, planting conversational bombs that go off at intervals throughout the plot.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
People who are socially isolated are more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors such as smoking, poor diet and physical inactivity, and may be less likely to follow treatment plans.—
Olamide Asifat,
The Conversation,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The study examined each city’s ranking for quality of life and environmental conditions, life expectancy, smoking rates, obesity levels, food quality and safety standards, and physical inactivity for adults over the age of 70.—
Kristine Hansen,
Travel + Leisure,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
We cannot be cowed into quiescence.—
Brian Kolp,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Feb. 2026
-
This is a region of gravitational quiescence about a million miles from Earth, where ESCAPADE will linger for a year awaiting a more favorable alignment between Earth and Mars.—
Morgan McFall-Johnsen,
Scientific American,
13 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Their inaction is unacceptable.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
-
No one is exempt from their responsibility, regardless of rank or assignment, and all must answer for their actions and inactions.—
Sierra van der Brug,
Daily News,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dormancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dormancy. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
