1
as in sleepy
desiring or needing sleep
trying to teach somnolent students on a very hot day
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2
as in hypnotic
tending to cause sleep
the somnolent hum of insects in the grass
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Recent Examples of somnolent
Neuroscientists have long had an explanation for our somnolent twitches.
—
Amanda Gefter, The New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2023
Democrats are walking around in some state of somnolent indifference about Joe Biden.
—Michael Tomasky, The New Republic, 26 June 2023
At Edgewood Tahoe, guest-room TVs show scenic views of Lake Tahoe behind a somnolent custom soundtrack by Sleepy Podcast host Otis Gray reading poetry by Robert Frost.
—Jon Marcus, BostonGlobe.com, 15 June 2023
The movie is almost entirely a flashback, narrated from the perspective of one of its main characters, Saul Manfred (Barney Phillips), a doctor from the North who’s a recent arrival in the cozy but somnolent seaside town of Braddock, North Carolina, where the action is set.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2022
See All Example Sentences for somnolent
Amanda Gefter, The New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2023
Democrats are walking around in some state of somnolent indifference about Joe Biden.
—Michael Tomasky, The New Republic, 26 June 2023
At Edgewood Tahoe, guest-room TVs show scenic views of Lake Tahoe behind a somnolent custom soundtrack by Sleepy Podcast host Otis Gray reading poetry by Robert Frost.
—Jon Marcus, BostonGlobe.com, 15 June 2023
The movie is almost entirely a flashback, narrated from the perspective of one of its main characters, Saul Manfred (Barney Phillips), a doctor from the North who’s a recent arrival in the cozy but somnolent seaside town of Braddock, North Carolina, where the action is set.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2022
See All Example Sentences for somnolent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for somnolent
Adjective
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Carbon monoxide can also cause the victim to become sleepy, lose consciousness, or lose muscle function as the dangerous gas stops oxygen flow to the brain, heart, and other important cells and organs.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
12 Apr. 2025
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This sleepy port town, penned in by snowy mountains on one side and endless freezing sea on the other, could have been where Spurs’ European dream died.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
9 May 2025
Adjective
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In the room with us in Valencia, the dolls eyes’ are hypnotic, carrying a trace of malevolence.—
Joshua Rothkopf,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2025
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Shot in the Colombian desert, this new film is nothing short of hypnotic.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
14 May 2025
Adjective
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Telogen Stage The telogen stage of the hair cycle is a resting phase, during which the hair doesn't grow, and the follicle is dormant.1 About 10% to 15% of the hairs on your body are in this resting phase at any one time, which typically lasts for a few months.—
Nancy LeBrun,
Verywell Health,
13 Jan. 2025
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Green Bay could finish as high as sixth in the NFC if the resting Rams lose to the 49ers, potentially setting up a first-round matchup against the division-rival Lions.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
6 Jan. 2024
Adjective
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Studies have shown that teens who experience a lack of sleep could suffer negative consequences, including an inability to concentrate, poor grades, drowsy driving incidents, anxiety, depression, and many more.—
Sixteen Ramos,
USA Today,
10 May 2025
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How to Beat the Afternoon Slump: This drowsy feeling is temporary but frustrating.—
Carl Zimmer,
New York Times,
17 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Somnolent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/somnolent. Accessed 18 May. 2025.
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