mothballed

ADJECTIVE

inactive

Synonyms

STRONGEST

dormant dull idle immobile inoperative jobless passive sedentary sluggish static unemployed unused

WEAK

abeyant asleep blah dead disengaged do-nothing down draggy in holding pattern indolent latent lax lethargic limp low-key motionless on hold ossified out of action out of commission out of service out of work quiescent quiet slack sleepy slothful slow somnolent stable still torpid unoccupied

Antonyms

STRONGEST

active employed energetic lively mobile moving used

WEAK

busy involved working

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.

The war could make it easier for Takaichi to reopen mothballed nuclear plants that were supplying 30% of the country’s electricity before the 2011 Fukushima disaster.

From Barron's • May 14, 2026

The Department for Business is expected to announce on Thursday that a site in Teesside, operated by Ensus, will restart operations after it was mothballed last year.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

Taiwan is already “looking at restarting mothballed coal plants,” Knutson says.

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

The paper’s books section has been mothballed and its daily news podcast, “Post Reports,” will be suspended.

From Salon • Feb. 4, 2026

A boy’s cap hangs on the wall; at the back looms a massive wardrobe, mothballed shirts hung inside.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

mothballed

Example Sentences

Related Words