fallow 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of fallownext
as in dormant
not being in a state of use, activity, or employment the coal mine has been lying fallow since the drop in prices made it unprofitable

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

fallow

2 of 2

verb

as in to rake

Related Words

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 fallow
Adjective
In recent days, the property remained largely fallow, other than the thick underbrush and countless weeds that choked the site, which is about one-third of an acre in size, this news organization’s direct observation of the property shows. — George Avalos, Mercury News, 24 June 2026 Those mid-’80s years, so crucial to a 10-year-old kid forming his fandom, were fallow. — Sean Gregory, Time, 14 June 2026
Verb
Planned in 1927 as a desirable residential neighborhood, the tract had instead lain fallow for almost 15 years. — Eric Duvall, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2026 District officials say that could force growers to fallow hundreds of thousands of acres. — Jeff St. John, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fallow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fallow
  1. dormant
  2. rake
  3. off
  4. hoe
  5. vacant
  6. list
  7. idle
  8. harrow
Adjective
  • The issues may have been lying dormant The vulnerabilities have been known about since at least 2024, according to the PHP Foundation.
    — Kaitlyn Huamani, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • So Hanawalt reactivated her dormant Facebook account and began scrolling through local horse sale groups.
    — Rachel Brodsky, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of dormant
Verb
  • For some homeowners, that means raking or blowing leaves and putting them into composting bags or on the side of the road to be hauled off to municipal compost centers.
    — Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The lines are chalked, the grass is cut and the dirt has been raked.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of rake
Adjective
  • There is no off day for travel after Friday’s game was postponed by rain.
    — Joe Reedy, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • There is no off day for travel after Friday's game was postponed by rain.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of off
Verb
  • The post-op row, however, is proving tough to hoe for a small business owner used to putting in hours well beyond overtime.
    — Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 May 2026
  • The $10 general admission during the Lilac Festival on weekends includes petting zoo, lilac maze, hoe down & jug band shows, lawn games, and lilac viewing.
    — Linda Mcintosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Definition of hoe
Adjective
  • The television ad begins with a dark video of an empty swing and the faint sound of children’s voices in the background, then shifts to footage of vacant pews inside a church.
    — Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 25 Oct. 2026
  • The presidency in this Caribbean nation of 12 million has been vacant since the 2021 assassination of Jovenel Moïse.
    — Widlore Mérancourt, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of vacant
Verb
  • Cleveland Clinic lists a long slate of possible benefits ranging from lower blood pressure and improved oxygen levels to reduced snoring, better dry mouth and improved bad breath.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026
  • In its November issue, Food & Wine magazine lists Francesco Martucci in Wynwood as one of the 27 Best Pizzas in America.
    — Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of list
Adjective
  • The aim is to make better use of satellite capacity that might otherwise sit idle when a system is outside its primary coverage area.
    — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Overnight, one of the polishing tools had experienced an idle time of two hundred and nine seconds.
    — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of idle
Verb
  • Before the big race, the track was harrowed, bringing it to a better and drier racing surface.
    — John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2025
  • The research fellow who met me, Birte, was in her forties, and appeared as if she had been harrowed by her work.
    — John Ganz, Harper's Magazine, 22 May 2024
Definition of harrow

Browse Nearby Words

fallouts
fallow
fallowed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fallow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fallow. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

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