resting
Americanadjective
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that rests; not active.
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Botany. dormant: applied especially to spores or seeds that germinate after a period of dormancy.
adjective
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not moving or working; at rest
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euphemistic (of an actor) out of work
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(esp of plant spores) undergoing a period of dormancy before germination
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(of cells) not undergoing mitosis
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of resting
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at rest 1, -ing 2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Trust founder Sue Sayers said seals resting on beaches were regularly being disturbed by people, causing stress, injury and sleep deprivation.
From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026
Given its massive size, it would interrupt the sight lines between the Lincoln Memorial, one of Washington's iconic landmarks, and Arlington National Cemetery, the final resting place for hundreds of thousands of American servicemembers.
From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026
“I’ll sit in my room like this,” Dean continues, leaning her head forward as if it’s resting on a desk between a pair of imaginary speakers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026
This supports a higher resting energy expenditure, aiding long-term weight maintenance.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 22, 2026
They made for much easier resting posts, so I just followed them, stopping along the way with no idea where they were leading me.
From "Flying Through Water" by Mamle Wolo
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.