downtime
noun
down·time
ˈdau̇n-ˌtīm 
1
: time during which production is stopped especially during setup for an operation or when making repairs
2
: inactive time (such as time between periods of work)
napping during our downtime
an injured athlete facing months of downtime
Examples of downtime in a Sentence
After a busy day at work, I look forward to some downtime at home.
The kids napped during their downtime.
We need to minimize network downtime.
Recent Examples on the Web
Operational downtime: Cyberattacks disrupt day-to-day operations, delaying services and causing financial strain.
—
Garrett Vanderpool, Kansas City Star, 5 Feb. 2025
This means users can quickly swap batteries in the field, extending mission duration and reducing potential downtime during critical operations.
—Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 1 Feb. 2025
For Armstrong, his downtime included walking with his little Boston Terrier, General, and spending time with neighborhood children — introducing them to music and his infectious personality.
—Jared McCallister, New York Daily News, 31 Jan. 2025
Rest and unstructured downtime, already scarce commodities in a young family, become scarcer.
—Zachary Przystup, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for downtime 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Garrett Vanderpool, Kansas City Star, 5 Feb. 2025
This means users can quickly swap batteries in the field, extending mission duration and reducing potential downtime during critical operations.
—Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 1 Feb. 2025
For Armstrong, his downtime included walking with his little Boston Terrier, General, and spending time with neighborhood children — introducing them to music and his infectious personality.
—Jared McCallister, New York Daily News, 31 Jan. 2025
Rest and unstructured downtime, already scarce commodities in a young family, become scarcer.
—Zachary Przystup, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for downtime
Dictionary Entries Near downtime
Cite this Entry
“Downtime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downtime. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share