DOZING Synonyms: 84 Similar and Opposite Words

dozing 1 of 3

adjective

as in sleeping

being in a state of suspended consciousness the dozing dog was running—at least in his dream

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dozing

2 of 3

noun

as in napping

a natural periodic loss of consciousness during which the body restores itself dozing is a natural response to the stifling heat of summer

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dozing

3 of 3

verb

present participle of doze

as in resting

to be in a state of sleep likes to doze through those lazy summer afternoons

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as in snoozing

to sleep lightly or briefly she dozed fitfully in the car but never fell completely asleep

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of dozing

Adjective

Whitehead took a right at a sign depicting a dozing fisherman, continuing up a shady road toward the bay. — Julian Lucas, New Yorker, 22 June 2026 His backdrop was a colorful tableau of posters, a neon sign, and a dozing dog. — Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 15 Sep. 2025

Noun

Also noted, snoring and unintentional daytime dozing appeared to have no effect on brain aging. — Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 July 2026 Lily is the quickest to figure out the detective stories that George reads them every evening in the field, but otherwise smarts count for little in a quiet life of grazing and dozing. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 27 Apr. 2026 There’s no dozing off in his sessions. — Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025

Verb

Nothing etches itself in your heart quite like the memory of watching a pack of energetic African wild dogs frolicking, a lioness and her cubs dozing on the Kalahari with your own kids tucked in close. — Kathryn Romeyn, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 June 2026 Victor Nicholas ended up dozing with his head on her shoulder. — Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2026 A little walk to Ayu Bakehouse, especially in the early morning while most of the neighborhood is still dozing, is a great start to the day. — Kate Kassin, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Apr. 2026 People sleep with earplugs for many reasons, like excessive city noise, loud neighbors, or even a snoring partner dozing next to them. — Sherri Gordon, Health, 1 Apr. 2026 In the harsh afternoon sun, it was deserted except for dogs dozing on the rocks, and lovers seeking a shred of privacy. — Taran Khan, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026 She gets literally tucked in, waking up cozy to the sound of rain on the slanted roof and dozing only to wake again to the bright morning sun. — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2026 Meanwhile, in the skies above, Air Canada passenger Rebecca Liquori was dozing in her seat by the exit row after a quick weekend trip to Montreal for a relative’s baby shower. — Elizabeth Chuck, NBC news, 23 Mar. 2026 In his Friday testimony, Ye yawned, closed his eyes for long stretches, and at times seemed to catch his head falling forward as if dozing while seated on the witness stand. — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dozing

Adjective

An autopsy showed that the infant died from asphyxiation secondary to a co-sleeping/overlay event with an unsafe sleeping environment.

— Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 26 Feb. 2026

Definition of sleeping

Noun

How Sleep Patterns Connect to Hemorrhoid Risk A study published in Neuropsychiatric Research in August 2026 examined whether sleep patterns like insomnia, sleep duration and daytime napping may influence the risk of developing hemorrhoids.

— Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
By nine-thirty, people were stretched out on the soft grass, napping, reading, and revelling in the previous night’s victory.

— Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of napping

Verb

Who then might be a match for title holders who benefit from resting players in 18-club Ligue 1 and having a fresh team for the back-end of the Champions League each season?

— James Horncastle, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
The aircraft appeared to be resting on its belly and was largely intact despite the fire.

— Staff And Wire Reports, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of resting

Adjective

In a letter to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Krishnamoorthi cited an NBC News investigation that identified 43 videos appearing to show individuals asleep in the driver’s seat of moving Teslas, including 17 posted this year alone.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 11 Sep. 2026
Like Harvey, Williams was asleep when she was awakened by a phone call from her husband, who was out of town.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of asleep

Noun

The study analyzed the sleep habits of more than 11,000 people over seven days, during which participants wore wrist sensors that measured their light exposure.

— Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026
For antidepressants, clinicians watch for withdrawal symptoms including sleep problems, flu-like symptoms, headaches and an electrical buzzing sensation in the head.

— Andrew McLean, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of sleep

Noun

There is an argument that, in the short term at least, a large influx of marquee players can disrupt a team’s cohesion while new signings bed in.

— Chris Waugh, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Start with this quilt set that’s lightweight but comfy for fall, then snag these ever-popular bed pillows with plush filling that shoppers compare to fluffy clouds.

— Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of bed

Noun

Here’s what’s at play — and what guests can do to protect their slumber.

— Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
Last year, the International Menopause Society published a white paper about how healthy lifestyle changes including improving slumber can do wonders for your perimenopause symptoms.

— Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of slumber

Noun

Fulham’s current rest-defence shape leads to frantic back-tracking defending, while the opposition can pull the centre-back partnership across the pitch with passes in behind and switches into the channels.

— Thom Harris, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Wearable trackers from companies like Oura and Whoop normalized the idea of monitoring rest.

— Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of rest

Browse Nearby Words

doziness

dozing

dozy

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Dozing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dozing. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of dozing

adjective

noun

verb

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