dormant
Having normal physical functions suspended or slowed down for a period; in or as if in a deep sleep.
Dormancy is a state of temporary inactivity, not death. Plants go dormant in winter to conserve energy; volcanoes are dormant when they are not actively erupting but could in the future.
Word relationships
- inactive: Inactive is a general term for not moving or working, whereas dormant specifically implies a natural, temporary state of rest from which revival is expected.
- latent: Latent describes qualities or forces that exist but are not yet developed or manifest, whereas dormant describes physical or biological processes that have slowed down.
- active: Engaged in progress or movement, whereas dormant is resting.
- vibrant: Full of energy and life, the opposite of the quiet stillness of dormancy.
Commonly confused with
- extinct: An extinct volcano will never erupt again; a dormant volcano is merely sleeping.
Word family
- dormancy (noun): The state of having physical functions suspended or slowed down.
Collocations
- dormant state
- dormant volcano
- lie dormant
- dormant seeds
Example sentences
- "During the freezing winter months, deciduous trees remain dormant, waiting for the warmth of spring." Winter botany guide
- "The real estate market lay dormant for several years before suddenly exploding with activity." Economic analysis
Memory hook
Think of a DORMitory where students are sleeping. A dormant plant is just sleeping in its winter dorm. DORMant = sleeping in a DORM.
When not to use
Do not use 'dormant' to describe someone who is simply lazy or asleep in bed; it is reserved for biological, geological, or systemic states of suspended animation.
Fun facts
- Some seeds can remain dormant in dry desert soils for decades, only germinating when a rare rainfall triggers their awakening.
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