Definition

Verb: - To be inactive, as if asleep: To exist in a state of rest, suspension, or inactivity, often with the potential to become active again. It implies a temporary cessation of activity, growth, or development.

Usage

The verb phrase "lie dormant" describes a state of prolonged inactivity or latency. It is often used for abstract concepts (like ideas, projects, or feelings) or for living things (like seeds, viruses, or animals) that are not currently active but retain the capacity for future activity. It is typically used in the simple present or past tenses.

Examples

• Abstract Concept:
  • The revolutionary idea lay dormant for centuries before being rediscovered.
  • His artistic talents lie dormant, waiting for the right inspiration to awaken them.
• Living Organism / Biological State:
  • The seeds can lie dormant in the soil for years until conditions are right for germination.
  • After the initial infection, the virus may lie dormant in the nervous system.

Advanced Usage

• "to remain dormant": This is a close synonym and can often be used interchangeably with "lie dormant," though "lie dormant" can carry a slightly more passive or inherent quality.
  • The project will remain dormant until further funding is secured.
• The phrase often carries a connotation of hidden potential or a temporary pause, not a permanent end.

Variants and Related Words

• Dormant (Adjective): In a state of rest or inactivity; suspended.
  • The volcano has been dormant for decades.
• Dormancy (Noun): The state of being dormant.
  • The bear's winter dormancy is a form of hibernation.

Synonyms

• Be inactive
• Be latent
• Be quiescent
• Hibernate (specific to a deep, seasonal sleep in animals)
• Slumber (often poetic)

Related Phrases

• Lie fallow: Originally for farmland left unplanted to restore fertility; used metaphorically for a period of rest or inactivity.
  • After writing three novels in a row, she let her imagination lie fallow for a year.
• Be in abeyance: To be temporarily set aside or suspended (often used for legal matters or formal procedures).
  • The legal proceedings are in abeyance while new evidence is reviewed.*

Idioms

• A sleeping giant: This idiom describes a person, organization, or country that is currently inactive but has enormous potential or power that could be awakened. It relates conceptually to something that "lies dormant."
  • The company was considered a sleeping giant in the tech industry until its recent breakthrough.

Verb

1. be inactive, as if asleep
   • His work lay dormant for many years