as in sleepiness
the quality or state of desiring or needing sleep
we tried to fight our drowsiness but fell asleep anyway
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Recent Examples of drowsiness
If your office doesn’t have good airflow, these gases can irritate the eyes and airways and cause headaches, fatigue, and drowsiness.
—
Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 14 Apr. 2026
Edwards went to the emergency room at Ysbyty Bronglais in the town of Aberystwyth, where her condition worsened with increasing drowsiness, severe confusion and loss of coordination.
—Adam England, PEOPLE, 13 Apr. 2026
Blue light does suppress melatonin, the hormone that signals drowsiness, and can delay the body’s circadian clock.
—Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 13 Apr. 2026
Hydrocodone is a prescription medication intended to treat severe, chronic pain and common side effects include dizziness and drowsiness.
—Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
The drugs may also be used to treat other neurological conditions that are accompanied by drowsiness, such as Alzheimer’s disease and depression, and possibly even more broadly.
—Angelica Peebles, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2026
Avoid driving on medications that cause drowsiness.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 30 Mar. 2026
Other symptoms may include low blood pressure, thirst, drowsiness, muscle weakness and slow or shallow breathing.
—Theara Coleman, TheWeek, 23 Mar. 2026
Geriatricians say the amount of older adults who've died from falls have tripled in the last three decades, and two thirds of the fatal falls were linked to prescription pills that caused drowsiness and impaired balance.
—Jennifer Bisram, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 14 Apr. 2026
Edwards went to the emergency room at Ysbyty Bronglais in the town of Aberystwyth, where her condition worsened with increasing drowsiness, severe confusion and loss of coordination.
—Adam England, PEOPLE, 13 Apr. 2026
Blue light does suppress melatonin, the hormone that signals drowsiness, and can delay the body’s circadian clock.
—Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 13 Apr. 2026
Hydrocodone is a prescription medication intended to treat severe, chronic pain and common side effects include dizziness and drowsiness.
—Emily Shapiro, ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026
The drugs may also be used to treat other neurological conditions that are accompanied by drowsiness, such as Alzheimer’s disease and depression, and possibly even more broadly.
—Angelica Peebles, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2026
Avoid driving on medications that cause drowsiness.
—Camila Pedrosa, Sacbee.com, 30 Mar. 2026
Other symptoms may include low blood pressure, thirst, drowsiness, muscle weakness and slow or shallow breathing.
—Theara Coleman, TheWeek, 23 Mar. 2026
Geriatricians say the amount of older adults who've died from falls have tripled in the last three decades, and two thirds of the fatal falls were linked to prescription pills that caused drowsiness and impaired balance.
—Jennifer Bisram, CBS News, 16 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for drowsiness
Noun
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Some over‑the‑counter products that can pose risks include certain antihistamines, commonly found in allergy and cold remedies, nighttime sleep aids, motion sickness medications, and cough syrups, which can induce sleepiness or slow down cognitive function.—
Amanda Greenwood,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
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Other possibilities include another severe sleep disorder called idiosyncratic hypersomnia, as well as other conditions where people experience sleepiness or executive function problems during the day and poor sleep at night, Lilly CEO Dave Ricks said in an interview with CNBC.—
Angelica Peebles,
CNBC,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Symptoms include fatigue, sensitivity to cold, and muscle stiffness.—
Christopher Edwards,
PEOPLE,
11 Apr. 2026
-
For example, fatigue is reported in some GLP-1 trials.—
Emily Kay Votruba,
EverydayHealth.com,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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From there, the story builds on the uncertainty, rocking the somnolence of a small town in the province of Badajoz, and forcing a community to choose between disbelief and the need to prove what can’t be seen.—
Emiliano De Pablos,
Variety,
9 Feb. 2026
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The people went to the emergency department with tachycardia, confusion, anxiety or somnolence, and nausea after eating gummy candies labeled as containing Amanita muscaria mushrooms.—
Beth Mole,
Ars Technica,
19 July 2024
Noun
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This Cabeau Evolution Travel Pillow is designed specifically for upright sleeping, with ergonomic neck support that keeps your head from falling forward or side to side.—
Samantha Leal,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Apr. 2026
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The Steward family argued the case may ultimately hinge on critical physical evidence, such as campers’ sleeping cabins that were in place at the time of the disaster.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
16 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Drowsiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drowsiness. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.
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