dormancy

noun

dor·​man·​cy ˈdȯr-mən(t)-sē 

: the quality or state of being dormant

Synonyms

• abeyance
• cold storage
• deep freeze
• doldrums
• holding pattern
• latency
• moratorium
• quiescence
• suspended animation
• suspense
• suspension

Examples of dormancy in a Sentence

some volcanoes have eruptive cycles marked by long stretches of dormancy

a fighting force that could be roused instantly from dormancy to action

Recent Examples on the Web

In contrast, annual ryegrass is a cool-season annual that dies out in late spring when Bermudagrass is coming out of dormancy. —Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 30 Dec. 2024

The 12 Best Pruning Shears of 2024 to Keep Your Garden in Check Rose Preparation for Winter Roses, like other woody landscape plants, naturally prepare themselves for winter dormancy. —Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Nov. 2024

To coax her date seeds out of dormancy, Dr. Sallon enlisted Elaine Solowey, a desert plant expert at the Areva Institute for Environmental Studies, based at Ketura, a kibbutz in the southern Negev. —Franz Lidz, New York Times, 22 Dec. 2024

On May 2, 2008, the Chaitén volcano in Chile awoke with unexpected fury after more than 9,000 years of dormancy. —Ashley Balzer Vigil, Ars Technica, 21 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1789, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

dormancy

noun

dor·​man·​cy ˈdȯr-mən-sē 

: the quality or state of being dormant