drowse 1 of 2

Definition of drowsenext
as in nap
a short sleep was just falling into a drowse when you called

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drowse

2 of 2

verb

as in to nap
to sleep lightly or briefly picnickers drowsing in the shade of an oak tree

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 drowse
Noun
The wealthy suburb of Phoenix drowses in the heat of the Sonoran Desert, sprinkled with luxury resorts catering to snowbirds in what Arizonans call the Valley of the Sun. Lynette Rice, EW.com, 26 Aug. 2019
Verb
Bear in mind that those 55 million impressions were totted up long before Nielsen began counting scores of drowsing aunts and hyperactive toddlers among its national TV deliveries. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 27 Nov. 2025 The feast is digested by now at our house and the tryptophan is kicking in, but the late game is too good to drowse on. Miami Herald, 25 Nov. 2025 Jena looked over at the man’s camel, drowsing alongside the tent. Literary Hub, 8 Aug. 2025 Stars lounged and drowsed: Muhammad Ali with a newspaper, Peter Cook in his old mac on a lilo in a Hollywood pool. The Economist, 21 Nov. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drowse
Noun
  • Many Americans are long overdue for a good nap.
    Tristan Bove, Fortune, 4 May 2026
  • Midday naps and sleeping in on weekends can help make up for temporary sleep deficits.
    Pien Huang, NPR, 2 May 2026
Verb
  • Lying Down After Eating Can Trigger Heartburn Eating a meal, then lying down to relax or doze off, may seem harmless, but doing so can contribute to reflux or heartburn symptoms.
    Karen Berger, Verywell Health, 1 May 2026
  • One option your provider may discuss is GEMTESA (vibegron), a prescription treatment that works by relaxing the bladder muscle.
    Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 1 May 2026
Verb
  • The sublime—a concept introduced by the first-century philosopher Longinus and later refined by Edmund Burke and Immanuel Kant—rests on an encounter with something too immense or too powerful for the human mind to comprehend fully.
    Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
  • The hotel staff moved us to their own dormitory higher up on the land to rest.
    Angela Andaloro, PEOPLE, 4 May 2026
Verb
  • On some of my visits, Marsha dozes most of the time.
    Marc Silver, NPR, 19 Apr. 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
Verb
  • But the nannies had to get up in the night at the sound of my shrieks while my parents slumbered with ear-plugs in.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
  • And amazingly, photographs of them have been slumbering in archives or circulating unidentified for almost a century.
    Glenn Kurtz, Time, 28 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Drowse.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drowse. Accessed 6 May. 2026.

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