Meaning & use
dormant
Temporarily inactive, sleeping, or not growing, but capable of becoming active again under the right conditions.
See it in a sentence
The volcano had been dormant for centuries before the sudden eruption alarmed nearby villages.
Seeds can lie dormant in dry soil for years until enough rain finally arrives.
A note on using this word
Dormant suggests a temporary pause with potential to reawaken, unlike extinct, which means permanently ended.
Words with a similar meaning
inactivequiescent
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Make it your own
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