Definitions

dormant

[dawr-muhnt] / ˈdɔr mənt /

ADJECTIVE

inactive; sleeping

Synonyms

STRONGEST

asleep comatose inert inoperative latent passive sidelined sluggish

WEAK

abeyant closed-down down fallow hibernating lethargic lurking on the shelf out of action potential prepatent quiescent slack slumbering smoldering suspended torpid

Antonyms

STRONGEST

active alert awake conscious lively

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Instead, it may be a dormant capability that normally remains inactive during healing.

From Science Daily • Jun. 17, 2026

Sometimes, rousing our dormant inner adolescent is a job for a very old monster with a rock and roll heart where his soul should be.

From Salon • Jun. 13, 2026

Like endless, dormant serpents, the colossal concrete casing of the pipelines stretched along the seabed.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026

“My garden is beautiful in the spring; then it goes dormant in the summer. And that’s OK.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026

But today the theater is lit and the stage lights are dormant.

From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy

Vocabulary lists containing dormant

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