nap 1 of 3

as in wink
a short sleep so tired that she needed to take a refreshing nap before soccer practice

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

nap

2 of 3

noun (2)

as in fur
a soft airy substance or covering high-quality suede has a good, even nap

Synonyms & Similar Words

nap

3 of 3

verb

1
as in to relax
to sleep lightly or briefly decided to let the kids nap for a few more minutes before waking them

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to sleep
to be in a state of sleep I'm just going to nap the entire afternoon

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 nap
Noun
On my wishlist is this gingham nap dress, a perfect work dress option; a flowy white skirt to go with all my T-shirts and fall jackets, and bows to accessorize all my outfits. Jenifer Calle, Glamour, 6 Aug. 2025 Take naps whenever necessary to get your circadian rhythms back to normal. Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Aug. 2025
Verb
Some 3-year-olds will nap some days but not others, with seemingly no pattern. Michelle Stansbury, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2025 In the mid-afternoon, the animals typically nap or sun themselves. Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for nap
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nap
Verb
  • With increasingly busy and fragmented lives, and wrapped up in computer and phone screens most of the day, people want a chance to take some time out to relax and connect with friends in a casual environment.
    Liz Thach, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • Some people smoke marijuana to relax or to relieve tension, depression or even boredom.
    Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Honor your natural rhythms: Go to sleep and wake up at consistent times.
    Rabbi Bruce D. Forman, Sun Sentinel, 21 Aug. 2025
  • As his caddie Ted Scott put it to him, the hardest thing in golf is sleeping on a lead, and Scheffler essentially slept on the Tour Championship lead for eight months a year for three years.
    Brody Miller, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • As Elordi rests his head on Isaac’s shoulder to re-create their complicated on-screen bond, Layla receives belly rubs from members of our crew.
    Brent Lang, Variety, 20 Aug. 2025
  • The scaling hypothesis—the belief that bigger models will produce more intelligent outputs—seems to rest on the dubious belief that a system that has been fed enough information about the world will not have to deal with fuzziness.
    Meghan O’Gieblyn, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • In the announcement photo gallery, Trisha leaned in to the baby's unusual name, showing the infant blissfully slumbering while clad in a child's onesie version of the suit originally worn by the DC character in his 1941 More Fun Comics debut.
    EW.com, EW.com, 28 July 2025
  • All of these activities also helped people slumber more soundly and wake up less often during the night.
    Allen Chang, ABC News, 15 July 2025
Verb
  • Surveys suggest calming blues are most likely to help you snooze, closely followed by spa-like whites.
    Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 1 Aug. 2025
  • But don’t start snoozing yet—this is no cookie-cutter procedural.
    Judy Berman, Time, 30 July 2025
Verb
  • In yet another post showing the dog — which appears to be a miniature dachshund — dozing on a rug by a fireplace, Evans revealed that her name is Lala.
    Erin Clack, People.com, 19 July 2025
  • Patrick Seymour, dozing in a Newcastle home, awoke to flames crawling up the outside walls.
    Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 25 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nap.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nap. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on nap

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!