resting

American  

[res-ting] / ˈrɛs tɪŋ /

adjective

1. that rests; rest; not active.

2. Botany. dormant: applied especially to spores or seeds that germinate after a period of dormancy.

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resting British  

/ ˈrɛstɪŋ /

adjective

1. not moving or working; at rest

2. euphemistic (of an actor) out of work

3. (esp of plant spores) undergoing a period of dormancy before germination

4. (of cells) not undergoing mitosis

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Other Word Forms

• unresting adjective

Etymology

Origin of resting

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; rest ¹, -ing ²

Example Sentences

With another bottom-feeding team coming to Crypto.com Arena, Doncic and the Lakers might actually benefit from resting the superstar.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 28, 2026

The ceremony took place at the historic Les Invalides national monument, the resting place of Napoleon Bonaparte, in the presence of Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, top left-wing politicians, and other high-profile guests.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

Grass grows longer in fields that are resting up to two months between being grazed.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

The cells produced higher levels of energy molecules while resting but struggled to boost energy production when under stress.

From Science Daily • Mar. 12, 2026

“Taking care of it” mostly means resting my leg and icing it.

From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison