ENGLISH
REFERENCE

dormant

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈdɔɹmənt// UK //dˈɔːmənt// dor·mant

adj. not active or growing right now, but able to become active again later. You use this for seeds, volcanoes, or plans that are waiting.

adj. temporarily inactive or at rest, with the potential to resume activity. Often used in scientific contexts for seeds or volcanoes, and metaphorically for ideas or organizations.


SIMPLE

The volcano has been dormant for fifty years.

CONTEXTUAL

The old business plan remained dormant until the new manager found it.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Middle English, from Old French, from Latin dormiēns, present participle of dormiō (“I sleep”).

Usage

Typically used predicatively after 'be' or attributively before a noun.

© 2026 English Reference