dormancy

noun

ˈdȯr-mən(t)-sē How to pronounce dormancy (audio)
Definition of dormancynext
1
as in suspension
a state of temporary inactivity some volcanoes have eruptive cycles marked by long stretches of dormancy

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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

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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 New growth sprouts at ground level when plants break dormancy in spring. — Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 9 Sep. 2026 June-bearing strawberries produce a large crop of berries in early summer and then enter a state of dormancy and stop fruiting entirely. — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Sep. 2026 The administration has resumed strikes after months of dormancy. — Laura Romero, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026 The layoffs come as Ellison has been quietly rebuilding her business after several years of near-dormancy. — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dormancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dormancy
  1. suspension
  2. inertia
  3. suspense
  4. inactivity
  5. quiescence
  6. inaction
Noun
  • The most prominent of those techniques were the use of airbags to land Pathfinder on Mars, as well its Sojourner rover's rocker-bogie suspension system.
    — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 27 Sep. 2026
  • Shortly after midnight on Thursday, Kelly imposed a fourteen-day suspension of the ban.
    — Jelani Cobb, New Yorker, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of suspension
Noun
  • The Stanford researchers estimated that sellers can roughly double revenue because of consumer inertia, when people forget or put off canceling, and cancellation friction, when ending a subscription takes too much time or effort.
    — Barbara Booth, CNBC, 27 Sep. 2026
  • For more than two decades, bad science and bureaucratic inertia have resulted in women and physicians having an incomplete view of HRT.
    — Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of inertia
Noun
  • In fiction, spoiler alerts exist to protect the reader experience, premised on the idea that knowing a story’s outcome will reduce momentum and suspense.
    — Beverly Gage, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
  • We’re not immersed in any of the procedural’s dangers, its uncertainties, its suspense, its psychic toll.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of suspense
Noun
  • If there was any rust on the outfit from nine years of inactivity, it was knocked off the instant the song’s trademark chiming riff gave way to the thwack of Lynch’s snare drum, bringing the band to life.
    — Adam Gold, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Realistically, a week of inactivity is probably the best thing for Flowers.
    — Andy Behrens, New York Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of inactivity
Noun
  • Black liberation, no matter how distinct in its language, history, and practice, cannot be absent from any discussion of historical quiescence.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 July 2026
  • Our blanket of air expands when the sun is active and contracts during times of solar quiescence.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 28 May 2026
Definition of quiescence
Noun
  • Effective leaders make the cost of inaction visible while helping people see the opportunity ahead.
    — Andriana Eliadis, Forbes.com, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The guy who isn’t paralyzed by inaction and seems unfazed by any incoming fire.
    — Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of inaction

Browse Nearby Words

dormancies
dormancy
dormant
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Cite this Entry

“Dormancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dormancy. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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