napped; napping
: a hairy, fuzzy, or downy surface (as on a fabric)
British
: a pick or recommendation as a good bet to win a contest (such as a horse race)
also
: one named in a nap
Synonyms
Examples of nap in a Sentence
Verb (1)
decided to let the kids nap for a few more minutes before waking them
I'm just going to nap the entire afternoon
Noun (1)
so tired that she needed to take a refreshing nap before soccer practice
Noun (2)
high-quality suede has a good, even nap
Recent Examples on the Web
Pam Skop, Parents, 15 May 2024
The post also featured photos of Kealia holding her son close while in a car and of the mother and son napping together on a plane.
—Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 13 May 2024
Some people just hung out on the couches, nearly napping.
—Frank Bruni Laura May Todd, New York Times, 13 May 2024
The Wellness Room, with massage chairs, napping pods, art area and lounge, and yoga is open to students as a place to relax and decompress.
—Nicole Gregory, Orange County Register, 13 May 2024
All the rooms have ocean views, and most also feature a lanai or balcony, which is particularly nice to use while little ones nap.
—Lindsay Cohn, Travel + Leisure, 2 May 2024
Gibbs noted that with her kids napping from the late morning into the early afternoon, the timing made sense to her.
—Angela Andaloro, Peoplemag, 17 Apr. 2024
On her Instagram post, Harmon shared videos and photos of a sweet-looking Oliver being petted, napping, or as a puppy.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2024
In 2016, Tesla said that all the company’s vehicles would be shipped with the hardware necessary to drive themselves—allowing drivers to nap or even send their cars cross-country without anyone inside.
—Aarian Marshall, WIRED, 6 Apr. 2024
Julia Cho, New York Times, 21 May 2024
Lauren Boebert only has compliments for Donald Trump — even about his apparent naps during his ongoing criminal trial.
—Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 17 May 2024
While her children were young, Munro wedged fiction writing between housework and her daughters’ naps.
—Mary Rourke, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2024
While her husband went to work, Munro found pockets of time to write while caring for their children, which meant writing in short spurts during nap times and at odd hours of the day.
—Annabel Gutterman, TIME, 14 May 2024
Start the morning with a hearty breakfast at one of the terrific restaurants, go for a walk along The Battery (the sound of the water might even encourage tots to take a stroller nap), and make a pitstop at Hazel Parker Playground before a sunset harbor cruise.
—Lindsay Cohn, Parents, 13 May 2024
Travelers can post up on the sand and enjoy midday naps under the shade of a palm tree, or take in the melodic soundtrack of jungle creatures.
—Lindsay Cohn, Travel + Leisure, 12 May 2024
In contrast, most preschools still provide naps, diapering and other toileting assistance to the same age group.
—Jenny Gold, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2024
Any guesses on which of these films — which vary widely in quality — has the best chance of sending the crowd into nap time?
—Jim Harrington, The Mercury News, 2 May 2024
Verb
Practical Services: The practical work includes things like meal prep, light house cleaning, and spending time with the baby so parents can nap.
—Pam Skop, Parents, 15 May 2024
The post also featured photos of Kealia holding her son close while in a car and of the mother and son napping together on a plane.
—Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 13 May 2024
Some people just hung out on the couches, nearly napping.
—Frank Bruni Laura May Todd, New York Times, 13 May 2024
The Wellness Room, with massage chairs, napping pods, art area and lounge, and yoga is open to students as a place to relax and decompress.
—Nicole Gregory, Orange County Register, 13 May 2024
All the rooms have ocean views, and most also feature a lanai or balcony, which is particularly nice to use while little ones nap.
—Lindsay Cohn, Travel + Leisure, 2 May 2024
Gibbs noted that with her kids napping from the late morning into the early afternoon, the timing made sense to her.
—Angela Andaloro, Peoplemag, 17 Apr. 2024
On her Instagram post, Harmon shared videos and photos of a sweet-looking Oliver being petted, napping, or as a puppy.
—Martha Ross, The Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2024
In 2016, Tesla said that all the company’s vehicles would be shipped with the hardware necessary to drive themselves—allowing drivers to nap or even send their cars cross-country without anyone inside.
—Aarian Marshall, WIRED, 6 Apr. 2024
Noun
Adults take naps in their rooms in the afternoon, and talk on hotel terraces with views in the evening.
—Julia Cho, New York Times, 21 May 2024
Lauren Boebert only has compliments for Donald Trump — even about his apparent naps during his ongoing criminal trial.
—Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 17 May 2024
While her children were young, Munro wedged fiction writing between housework and her daughters’ naps.
—Mary Rourke, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2024
While her husband went to work, Munro found pockets of time to write while caring for their children, which meant writing in short spurts during nap times and at odd hours of the day.
—Annabel Gutterman, TIME, 14 May 2024
Start the morning with a hearty breakfast at one of the terrific restaurants, go for a walk along The Battery (the sound of the water might even encourage tots to take a stroller nap), and make a pitstop at Hazel Parker Playground before a sunset harbor cruise.
—Lindsay Cohn, Parents, 13 May 2024
Travelers can post up on the sand and enjoy midday naps under the shade of a palm tree, or take in the melodic soundtrack of jungle creatures.
—Lindsay Cohn, Travel + Leisure, 12 May 2024
In contrast, most preschools still provide naps, diapering and other toileting assistance to the same age group.
—Jenny Gold, Los Angeles Times, 7 May 2024
Any guesses on which of these films — which vary widely in quality — has the best chance of sending the crowd into nap time?
—Jim Harrington, The Mercury News, 2 May 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nap.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to nap
Dictionary Entries Near nap
Cite this Entry
“Nap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nap. Accessed 24 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nap
1 of 4 verb
napped; napping
1
: to sleep briefly especially during the day
2
: to be off guard
was caught napping
nap
2 of 4 noun
: a short sleep especially during the day
nap
3 of 4 noun
: a hairy or downy surface on a woven fabric or leather
nappy
adjective
ˈnap-ē
nap
4 of 4 verb
napped; napping
: to raise a nap on fabric or leather
Etymology
Verb
Old English hnappian "to doze"
Noun
Middle English noppe "soft surface on a fabric," from early Dutch noppe "tuft of wool, nap"
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