drowsy

1 of 2

adjective

ˈdrau̇-zē 

drowsier; drowsiest

1

a

: ready to fall asleep

The pills made her drowsy.

b

: inducing or tending to induce sleep

drowsy music

c

: indolent, lethargic

drowsy bureaucrats

2

: giving the appearance of peaceful inactivity

a drowsy village

drowsily

ˈdrau̇-zə-lē 

adverb

drowsiness

ˈdrau̇-zē-nəs 

noun

drowsiness

2 of 2

noun

drows·​i·​ness -zēnə̇s 

-zin-

plural -es

1

: the state of being drowsy

an exquisite drowsiness had spread through him

—Stephen Crane

2

archaic : lethargy, sloth

Synonyms of drowsy

Adjective

• sleepy
• sleeping
• resting

Examples of drowsy in a Sentence

Adjective

We spent a drowsy afternoon by the pool.

the drowsy students shuffled into the first-period class

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Allergy drugs can ease those symptoms and make people drowsy, potentially offering relief from insomnia. —Kara Smythe, EverydayHealth.com, 15 May 2026

Fleets that deployed the company's AI dash cams, which detect drowsy or distracted driving, saw a 73% reduction in accidents after 30 months, according to company data from more than 2,600 customers. —Time Contributors, Time, 29 Apr. 2026

Key Takeaways Allergy medications that cause drowsiness are best taken at night, while non-drowsy options can be taken in the morning or evening. —T'keyah Bazin, Verywell Health, 27 Apr. 2026

Getting a full eight hours of sleep and still feeling drowsy? —Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 22 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

see drowse entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for drowsy

• lousy

Kids Definition

drowsy

adjective

ˈdrau̇-zē 

drowsier; drowsiest

1

: ready to fall asleep

2

: making one sleepy

a drowsy afternoon

drowsily

-zə-lē 

adverb

drowsiness

-zē-nəs 

noun

Medical Definition

drowsy

adjective

ˈdrau̇-zē 

drowsier; drowsiest

: ready to fall asleep : sleepy

drowsily

-zə-lē 

adverb

drowsiness

-zē-nəs 

noun