DROWSY Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

drowsy

adjective

ˈdrau̇-zē

Definition of drowsy

as in sleepy

desiring or needing sleep the drowsy students shuffled into the first-period class

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in hypnotic

tending to cause sleep listened to drowsy music while waiting in the dentist's office

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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 drowsy Usually, treatment plans start with non-drowsy, second-generation antihistamines such as cetirizine (Zyrtec), loratadine (Claritin), or fexofenadine (Allegra). — Zia Sherrell, Health, 7 Mar. 2026 People who have trouble sleeping may feel exhausted, drowsy and less awake. — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 5 Mar. 2026 Afternoons here are deliciously drowsy, spent dozing in the shade, gently parting calm sea water, or gliding past craggy rock formations in a little motor-boat. — Rosalyn Wikeley, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Jan. 2026 Some of the consequences of owing your body sleep are readily apparent, like feeling drowsy, irritable, or brain-foggy, or catching seemingly every virus. — Erica Sloan, SELF, 6 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for drowsy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for drowsy

Adjective

The Hawkeyes were taking on (the) Ohio State University last weekend in the biggest event of the year for sleepy Iowa City, and this New Englander wanted to tailgate at a Big Ten college football game.

— Carine Hajjar, Washington Post, 9 Oct. 2026
On the afternoon of October 3, a crowd of unhappy protesters gathered along a busy street in the heart of Huntington, New York, a sleepy suburb along the northern coast of Long Island.

— Adam B. Vary, IndieWire, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of sleepy

Adjective

And in the Dominican Republic, DIY beatmakers disassembled and sped up reggaeton’s dembow riddim into hypnotic dance floor experience, paving the way for crossover sensations like El Alfa and Tokischa.

— Richard Villegas, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2026
Each feels expansively lush without ever losing that genuinely old school rock and roll momentum, in large part due to the hypnotic drumming of Adam Shumski and inventive lead guitars of Dan Ryan.

— Brendan Hay, SPIN, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of hypnotic

Adjective

That’s because when the body experiences physical stress, including losing weight quickly, more hairs can shift into a resting phase and fall out a few months later — typically two to three months after the event, Rossi explains.

— Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 17 Feb. 2026
This is a condition where, due to stress or hormonal changes, the body puts the hair follicles into a resting phase.

— Essence, Essence, 19 Dec. 2025

Definition of resting

Browse Nearby Words

drowsing (off)

drowsy

drub

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Style

“Drowsy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drowsy. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of drowsy

adjective

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