Abeyancy refers to a temporary suspension or delay in something. It is often used in legal contexts to refer to the period of time when a legal action or case is put on hold. Synonyms for abeyancy include dormancy, inactivity, suspension, postponement, hiatus, intermission, interruption, cessation, delay, and waiting. These words all refer to the temporary pause or delay of something. For example, the word dormancy can refer to the temporary state of being inactive or dormant, like a plant being dormant during the winter months. Likewise, hiatus refers to the temporary pause or break in something, like a TV show taking a hiatus between seasons.