quiescence

noun

qui·​es·​cence kwī-ˈe-sᵊn(t)s  kwē- 

: the quality or state of being quiescent

Synonyms

• abeyance
• cold storage
• deep freeze
• doldrums
• dormancy
• holding pattern
• latency
• moratorium
• suspended animation
• suspense
• suspension

Examples of quiescence in a Sentence

the resort community's social scene is lively during the summer but undergoes a deep quiescence during the long winter

was struck by the elk's quiescence as it just stood there in the clearing

Recent Examples on the Web

Although Schneider's exact date predictions may or may not come to pass, the pattern of the super-active phase followed by quiescence and dimming suggests that the nova is just around the corner. —Keith Cooper, Space.com, 26 Mar. 2025

Surviving Extreme Conditions No other insect is known to switch between quiescence and obligate diapause. —Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 8 Mar. 2025

If they were all plunged into quiescence without warning one autumn day, due to a sudden drop in temperature, they’d be caught in various stages of development. —Cody Cottier, Discover Magazine, 8 Mar. 2025

But a depopulated landscape might actually be characterized by quiescence. —Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 24 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1631, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for quiescence

• excrescence
• fluorescence
• quintessence
• senescence
• acquiescence
• adolescence
• coalescence
• convalescence
• effervescence
• efflorescence
• evanescence
• incandescence

Medical Definition

quiescence

noun

qui·​es·​cence kwī-ˈes-ᵊn(t)s  kwē- 

: the quality or state of being quiescent