nap

1 of 6

verb (1)

napped; napping

intransitive verb

1
: to sleep briefly especially during the day : doze
2
: to be off guard

nap

2 of 6

noun (1)

: a short sleep especially during the day : snooze

nap

3 of 6

noun (2)

: a hairy, fuzzy, or downy surface (as on a fabric)
napless adjective
napped adjective

nap

4 of 6

verb (2)

napped; napping

transitive verb

: to raise a nap on (fabric or leather)

nap

5 of 6

noun (3)

British
: a pick or recommendation as a good bet to win a contest (such as a horse race)
also : one named in a nap

nap

6 of 6

verb (3)

napped; napping

transitive verb

British
: to pick or single out in a nap

Examples of nap in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The best gag comes when Po tiptoes through a rooftop of napping Komodo dragons, desperate to stay quiet. Amy Nicholson, Washington Post, 6 Mar. 2024 Meanwhile, Downey, 58, who portrayed Lewis Strauss, chairman of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and adversary of Oppenheimer, had been napping. Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 29 Feb. 2024 The 76 comfortable, lie flat business class seats which allow passengers to sleep on an overnight flight would also encourage napping on what is a daytime four hour flight. Laurie Werner, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024 No disrespect to the pastry chef, the talent behind the lovely bonbons and edible parting gifts, but the sweetest thing here is the Burkes’ toddler, Atticus, who plays or naps behind the kitchen door and whose dad might trot him out at the end of service. Tom Sietsema, Washington Post, 20 Feb. 2024 Sasha McCoy, a 27-year-old Washington, D.C., mother, was charged with first-degree murder in the 2022 death of her 3-year-old daughter after authorities said the girl had ingested McCoy's Percocet that was laced with fentanyl and left on the bed where the child was napping. Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 19 Feb. 2024 Anecdotes abound of elk and pronghorn strolling around turbines or napping in their shade. Catrin Einhorn, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2024 Police said a kilogram of fentanyl was found underneath a mat where the children napped. Maria Paronich, Fox News, 24 Jan. 2024 Curled up on a sofa, the baby star can be seen napping in a bubblegum tutu. Zoey Lyttle, Peoplemag, 3 Feb. 2024
Noun
Extremely social and outgoing, petting time is his favorite part of the day, closely followed by time to eat, play and nap (not necessarily in that order). The Arizona Republic, 8 Mar. 2024 From dealing with nap math to snacks (SO many snacks), to figuring out how to keep my son entertained, the logistics of toting along our 2-year-old caused maybe 90% of my pre-vacation stress. Cecily McAndrews, Parents, 8 Mar. 2024 Higher still, the scenic flybridge is equipped with a plush lounge, a bar, and a nap station, because who doesn’t like to catch zs after cocktails? Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 6 Mar. 2024 There's a lot more to pack (more on that later) and a lot more considerations to make (like naps and kid-friendly meals, perhaps). Emily Siner, NPR, 5 Mar. 2024 It’s Caught' (Exclusive) Other photos in Hudson's Instagram upload include shots of Rani hanging with her dad, taking a nap with him on a sofa, and hilariously holding onto a glass while out at a fancy dinner. Brenton Blanchet, Peoplemag, 11 Feb. 2024 When my sons were babies and toddlers, self-care meant getting a haircut every six months and maybe squeezing in a nap. Theresa Vargas, Washington Post, 14 Feb. 2024 Roast marshmallows and make s'mores on the beach, learn how to build a sandcastle like the pros with the hotel's sand sculpture lessons, or kick back in a hammock and take a nap while listening to lapping waves. Kara Franker, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2024 This ingenious device is like a little hammock for your feet, providing you with a cozy space to unwind and enjoy a good nap. Jessica Copeland, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 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.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English nappen, from Old English hnappian; akin to Old High German hnaffezen to doze

Noun (2)

Middle English noppe, from Middle Dutch, flock of wool, nap

Noun (3)

from to go nap (to make all the points in the card game Napoleon)

First Known Use

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb (2)

1608, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

1895, in the meaning defined above

Verb (3)

1927, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nap was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near nap

Cite this Entry

“Nap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nap. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids 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
ˈnap-ē
adjective

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"

More from Merriam-Webster on nap

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