The term WAS DORMANT can be summarized as 'was in a state of sleep or inactivity'. This phrase is often used to describe a period of time when something was not active or functioning. For example, a dormant volcano is one that has not erupted in a long time and is not currently active. Similarly, a dormant business is one that has not been operating for some time. In the crossword, the solution SLEPT is a synonym for the term WAS DORMANT.