winters

noun

plural of winter
as in layoffs
a period of often involuntary inactivity or idleness during the long winter when the party was out of power, it had plenty of time to reconsider its political priorities

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 winters Designed in the nineteen-sixties to bring high-quality brewing to Scandinavian homes, the red, orange, yellow, and green machines are surely intended as an antidote to the monochromatic, dark Nordic winters. — Nicholas Blechman, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2026 And continuing a pattern seen in previous years, Russian drones and missiles are already hitting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, but harder and earlier than in other winters, analysts say. — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 2026 These animals navigate the harshest winters, revealing extraordinary behaviors, survival strategies and bonds. — Denise Petski, Deadline, 9 Nov. 2026 Diuk-Wasser speculates that in warmer winters ticks might stay active and burn their lipid reserves instead of hibernating, dying before the summer. — Clarissa Brincat, Scientific American, 8 Nov. 2026 Our mild Southern winters allow the root system to become well-established before spring and summer heat arrive. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 6 Nov. 2026 Kanuk was founded in 1974 in Montreal and built its reputation on creating outerwear designed to withstand Canadian winters. — Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 4 Nov. 2026 While fall weather can sometimes be unseasonably warm here in the Midwest, our winters are generally predictable—and bitterly cold. — Kaitlin Gates, InStyle, 4 Nov. 2026 The brutal cold of Sweden’s winters is well documented, but Stockholm has a knack for bringing some special magic even to its gloomiest season. — Isabelle Kliger, Vogue, 2 Nov. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for winters
  1. layoffs
  2. lulls
  3. downtimes
  4. breaks
  5. recesses
  6. pauses
Noun
  • Unions say rising living costs, stagnant pay and looming layoffs are intensifying public anger and putting fresh pressure on President Emmanuel Macron’s government.
    — Sylvie Corbet, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The moves continue a long and far-reaching series of layoffs since CEO Robert Kyncl officially took the helm in January of 2023.
    — Jem Aswad, Variety, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of layoffs
Noun
  • Wild Horse Nine lives or dies by the Mutt & Jeff chemistry of its leads, both of whom keep the proceedings propped up in between plot points and temporary pacing lulls.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2026
  • There are no lulls in the storytelling and all the actors are wonderful and hungry and bring the heat.
    — Ronda Racha Penrice, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of lulls
Noun
  • These trends often materialize in batch changeovers, supplier changes, line downtimes and traceability challenges.
    — Ihor Yurchenko, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The average response time for phone calls dropped to 6 minutes from 30 minutes in the prior fiscal year; field office wait times decreased to 23 minutes; and removal of online service downtimes has benefited an additional 125,000 users in a single week, according to the agency's findings.
    — Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Aug. 2025
Definition of downtimes
Noun
  • On breaks, downtown workers dashed in to make a quick purchase or have lunch at one of the restaurants or the food court.
    — Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 10 Nov. 2026
  • Several breaks from the 2025 law are not adjusted for inflation.
    — Ken Sweet, Chicago Tribune, 10 Nov. 2026
Definition of breaks
Noun
  • Students at Independence Elementary School in Clarkston, Michigan, are spending their recesses and free time making bracelets, stickers and other items for a cause that is deeply personal to their school community.
    — Hannah McIlree, CBS News, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Herzog’s adventurous spirit has led him to explore the furthest reaches of the globe, but also inward to map the strangest recesses of the heart.
    — Joshua Rothkopf, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of recesses
Noun
  • The nationwide victories for Democrats raised the possibility that governments could force pauses in construction of more data centers.
    — Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Ukrainian officials have described the operation in Oleshky as one of the most significant pauses in fighting since Russia launched its full-scale invasion more than four and a half years ago.
    — Alexander Smith, NBC news, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of pauses

Browse Nearby Words

winterly
winters
wintriness
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Cite this Entry

“Winters.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winters. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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