hibernates

verb

present tense third-person singular of hibernate
as in sleeps
to be in an inactive state bears hibernating in their dens

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of hibernates The reptile, which hibernates individually in holes, burrows or rock crevices, prefers to live along ridgelines and bluffs, especially on south and southwest facing slopes. — Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 18 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hibernates
  1. sleeps
  2. rests
  3. plays
  4. dozes
  5. idles
Verb
  • Conclusion Somewhere tonight, a car on a random street here in the UK is silently feeding power back into the grid while its owner sleeps!
    — Sarwant Singh, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • Pick your poison, babe, for a Swift-centric escape in the city that never sleeps.
    — Hannah Chubb, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 June 2026
Definition of sleeps
Verb
  • The authority of a judicial opinion rests not merely on its logic but on the accountability of the judge who signs it.
    — Joseph Andrew, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Nietzsche says somewhere that the illusion of willpower rests on our tendency to identify with the part of our soul that commands, not the part that obeys.
    — Meghan O’Gieblyn, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026
Definition of rests
Verb
  • Seeking to reach its third straight World Cup final, France plays Paraguay on July 4 in Philly, and the winner advances to a quarterfinal against Canada or Morocco five days later at Foxborough, Massachusetts.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • Emma D'Arcy plays the adult version of the character across all three seasons.
    — Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 1 July 2026
Definition of plays
Verb
  • On some of my visits, Marsha dozes most of the time.
    — Marc Silver, NPR, 19 Apr. 2026
  • Rather, the protagonist dozes right through it.
    — John Swansburg, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2025
Definition of dozes
Verb
  • As your car idles, warm air blown from the top of your dashboard will melt the ice on the outside of the windshield.
    — Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 27 Dec. 2025
  • Security camera footage shows a black vehicle park in front of Café Bernardo, a restaurant, and idles for about two minutes.
    — Madisen Keavy, CBS News, 17 Dec. 2025
Definition of idles

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Cite this Entry

“Hibernates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hibernates. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on hibernates

Nglish: Translation of hibernates for Spanish Speakers

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