1
as in suspension
a state of temporary inactivity
some volcanoes have eruptive cycles marked by long stretches of dormancy
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dormancy
After three years of dormancy, property types will be turned over to the state government and declared as abandoned, according to the state's unclaimed property website.
—
Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 31 Jan. 2026
Brumation is a hibernation-like state of dormancy.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 29 Jan. 2026
But keep in mind blueberry bushes need a certain number of chilling hours after picking to prevent the buds from breaking dormancy prematurely, preventing freezing injury to the blueberry shrubs, Langelo says.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 19 Jan. 2026
For many regions, winter feels like a time of dormancy.
—Kat Merck, Wired News, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dormancy
Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 31 Jan. 2026
Brumation is a hibernation-like state of dormancy.
—Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 29 Jan. 2026
But keep in mind blueberry bushes need a certain number of chilling hours after picking to prevent the buds from breaking dormancy prematurely, preventing freezing injury to the blueberry shrubs, Langelo says.
—Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 19 Jan. 2026
For many regions, winter feels like a time of dormancy.
—Kat Merck, Wired News, 6 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dormancy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dormancy
Noun
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At its core is a full suspension aluminum frame engineered for real off-road dominance.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
13 Feb. 2026
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The agency has not specified if the suspension of the police powers of Blanchette and Leslie are due to violations of its policies regarding pursuits and forcibly ending them.—
Mark Pazniokas,
Hartford Courant,
13 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Over that first act, however, the film also resists much narrative or thematic momentum, unfolding in glimpses and vignettes meant to underscore inertia and to emphasize production design.—
Ben Croll,
IndieWire,
13 Feb. 2026
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By inertia, some vestiges remain of the awful weeks in 2022 when enemy forces stood at the edge of Kyiv.—
Simon Shuster,
The Atlantic,
12 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Who's competing next Part of the suspense of the team competition is finding out who each country will choose to compete in each category, which is usually announced about 24 hours in advance.—
Rachel Treisman,
NPR,
6 Feb. 2026
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But not even Jones isn’t funny or magnetic enough to sustain attention without the support of real suspense and allure.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Rising physical inactivity, especially among young people, is colliding with escalating climate and nature risks.—
Sebastian Buckup,
Time,
7 Feb. 2026
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What struck me in the wake of the trade deadline and the Heat’s inactivity is that so few of the trade-deadline report cards even mentioned the Heat.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
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We cannot be cowed into quiescence.—
Brian Kolp,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Feb. 2026
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This is a region of gravitational quiescence about a million miles from Earth, where ESCAPADE will linger for a year awaiting a more favorable alignment between Earth and Mars.—
Morgan McFall-Johnsen,
Scientific American,
13 Nov. 2025
Noun
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At a time when Florida’s educator retention problem is harming students statewide, inaction is a choice that maintains a failing status quo.—
Andrew Spar,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Feb. 2026
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But supporters of the bill, that passed committee on a party-line vote, say the cost of inaction is far greater.—
Shaun Boyd,
CBS News,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dormancy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dormancy. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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