1
as in sleepy
desiring or needing sleep
trying to teach somnolent students on a very hot day
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in hypnotic
tending to cause sleep
the somnolent hum of insects in the grass
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of somnolent
While there are a half-dozen or so worthy books on the list, most of them are somnolent doctoral theses that probably should not have been acquired in the first place.
—
George Liebmann, Baltimore Sun, 21 May 2025
The nighttime strike on somnolent Russians might not have been possible just a few months ago.
—David Axe, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Washington’s running game, which had been somnolent for a month, came back to life Saturday, gaining 182 yards against the Lions.
—David Aldridge, The Athletic, 19 Jan. 2025
In it, bands play a quieter part of the song, or start softly, setting a somnolent mood before blowing it apart with a sudden shift in volume and dynamics, with little more warning than some transitional guitar feedback.
—Aaron Gilbreath, SPIN, 31 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for somnolent
George Liebmann, Baltimore Sun, 21 May 2025
The nighttime strike on somnolent Russians might not have been possible just a few months ago.
—David Axe, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Washington’s running game, which had been somnolent for a month, came back to life Saturday, gaining 182 yards against the Lions.
—David Aldridge, The Athletic, 19 Jan. 2025
In it, bands play a quieter part of the song, or start softly, setting a somnolent mood before blowing it apart with a sudden shift in volume and dynamics, with little more warning than some transitional guitar feedback.
—Aaron Gilbreath, SPIN, 31 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for somnolent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for somnolent
Adjective
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The film is weirdly slow and sleepy, and at least 20 minutes too long.—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
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These sleepy puppies are right there with you—expert-level napping, zero meetings required.—
Ronnie Li,
USA Today,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The melodic closer had the huge crowd energized and swaying along, as the nearly 50-foot stage, fully adorned in LED lights, beamed hypnotic celestial imagery in neon blue.—
Nicole Fell,
HollywoodReporter,
21 Mar. 2026
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Eric Magnuson’s fair gripe in The Atlantic last week pointed me to this hypnotic novella from one of our best fever dreamers.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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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
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
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Legal Consequences of Drowsy Driving While drowsy or fatigued driving may not lead to criminal charges as serious as DUI or DWI, a person who is accused of driving unsafely may still face penalties.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Mar. 2026
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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
Cite this Entry
“Somnolent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/somnolent. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
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