as in winter
a period of often involuntary inactivity or idleness
a knee operation that could result in months of downtime for the ski racer
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Recent Examples of downtime
But now Ortega has found herself in a rare space with months of consecutive downtime.
—
Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2026
During the downtime, crew members came up with the famous shot, filmed after Travolta returned, of his feet walking rhythmically as the camera then rises to his face.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Other guitar virtuosos might crave at least a little downtime between concluding a Las Vegas concert residency with one band and launching a national tour with another band, not but Joe Satriani.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Dyestuff creation may sound very Ren faire, or like something the Weird Sisters from Macbeth would do in their downtime, but modern synthetic dye manufacture is hardcore chemistry with hardcore chemicals.
—Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downtime
Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2026
During the downtime, crew members came up with the famous shot, filmed after Travolta returned, of his feet walking rhythmically as the camera then rises to his face.
—Richard Brody, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Other guitar virtuosos might crave at least a little downtime between concluding a Las Vegas concert residency with one band and launching a national tour with another band, not but Joe Satriani.
—George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026
Dyestuff creation may sound very Ren faire, or like something the Weird Sisters from Macbeth would do in their downtime, but modern synthetic dye manufacture is hardcore chemistry with hardcore chemicals.
—Literary Hub, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for downtime
Recent Examples of Synonyms for downtime
Noun
-
The verdant burst is always welcome after a dreary winter, and the bright, fresh flavors of spring vegetables are like a breath of fresh air on the table, too.—
Becky Krystal,
Washington Post,
20 Apr. 2026
-
There was significant public opposition at a hearing this winter where Parkers Place outlined its plan to level much of a 7-acre woodlands and build a complex with two-bedroom apartments.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
After that, global income is fully taxable, a sharp break from the previous system that allowed wealth to remain offshore indefinitely.—
Emma Graham,Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
21 Apr. 2026
-
The first day of New York City public school will be unusually late this fall, according to the official 2026-27 school year calendar released Tuesday — forcing families to scramble for child care at the end of summer break.—
Cayla Bamberger,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Downtime.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/downtime. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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