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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of somnolent
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
Neuroscientists have long had an explanation for our somnolent twitches.
—Amanda Gefter, The New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2023
Returning to the somnolent complacency of years past is not an option.
—Elbridge Colby, Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2019
See All Example Sentences for somnolent
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
Neuroscientists have long had an explanation for our somnolent twitches.
—Amanda Gefter, The New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2023
Returning to the somnolent complacency of years past is not an option.
—Elbridge Colby, Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2019
See All Example Sentences for somnolent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for somnolent
Adjective
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Better check behind every bush and tree, because this movie will convince you every sleepy suburb is a slaughterhouse in the making.—
Chris Snellgrove,
Entertainment Weekly,
25 Oct. 2025
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In the quiet village of Mount Prospect, nestled just northwest of Chicago’s city limits, residents were sheltering from the cold and rain on a sleepy Sunday afternoon watching TV, scrolling through social media and enjoying midday coffee at home.—
Danya Gainor,
CNN Money,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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But as the microbes spread across the screen, the visual becomes almost hypnotic—and, as Peck recently told me, akin to how dictators overwhelm people’s abilities to determine fact from fiction.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
21 Oct. 2025
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Its Mudéjar architecture, a hypnotic blend of Islamic artistry and Christian tradition, never fails to captivate travelers.—
Nigel Hack,
Travel + Leisure,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Taking minoxidil orally can support the hair follicle cycle and trigger anagen (the resting phase) prematurely.—
Jessie Quinn,
Flow Space,
23 Sep. 2025
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During the resting phase, hair stops growing and will shed, or fall out.—
Jessica Swirble,
Verywell Health,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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There’s nothing quite as soothing as the drowsy calmness that washes over you when your partner runs their hands through your hair.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
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The DeWine administration cited driver safety as a catalyst for the project: officials noted that truck drivers who can't find a parking spot are known to drive drowsy or pull over to sleep in unsafe areas.—
Annie Goldman,
The Enquirer,
31 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Somnolent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/somnolent. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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