drowsy

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

Synonyms of drowsy

• sleepy
• sleeping
• resting

Examples of drowsy in a Sentence

We spent a drowsy afternoon by the pool.

the drowsy students shuffled into the first-period class

Recent Examples on the Web

But on his debut solo album, Heavy Metal, the rising art-rock star reveals his hand as a singer-songwriter extraordinaire, toning things down and slipping into a drowsy falsetto. —Jason Lamphier, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Dec. 2025

Preparation through adequate rest is an important part of avoiding drowsy driving, which could be fatal, according to NHTSA. —Charles Singh, USA Today, 1 Dec. 2025

Last night’s episode never recovered from its drowsy start. —Charu Sinha, Vulture, 2 Nov. 2025

Most cases clear up on their own without complications, but parents should contact a doctor if a child cannot keep fluids down, has a high fever lasting more than a few days or seems unusually drowsy or irritable. —Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 29 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

see drowse entry 1

First Known Use

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