doze

1 of 2

verb (1)

dozed; dozing
Synonyms of dozenext

intransitive verb

1
a
: to sleep lightly
b
: to fall into a light sleep
usually used with off
2
: to be in a dull or stupefied condition

transitive verb

: to pass (time) drowsily
doze noun

doze

2 of 2

verb (2)

dozed; dozing

Synonyms of doze

Examples of doze in a Sentence

Verb (1) likes to doze through those lazy summer afternoons she dozed fitfully in the car but never fell completely asleep
Recent Examples on the Web
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Verb
In the harsh afternoon sun, it was deserted except for dogs dozing on the rocks, and lovers seeking a shred of privacy. Taran Khan, The Dial, 24 Mar. 2026 She gets literally tucked in, waking up cozy to the sound of rain on the slanted roof and dozing only to wake again to the bright morning sun. Alison Willmore, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2026 Meanwhile, in the skies above, Air Canada passenger Rebecca Liquori was dozing in her seat by the exit row after a quick weekend trip to Montreal for a relative’s baby shower. Elizabeth Chuck, NBC news, 23 Mar. 2026 In his Friday testimony, Ye yawned, closed his eyes for long stretches, and at times seemed to catch his head falling forward as if dozing while seated on the witness stand. Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for doze

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse dūsa to doze

Verb (2)

probably back-formation from dozer (bulldozer)

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1677, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Verb (2)

1945, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of doze was in 1677

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Doze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doze. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

doze

verb
ˈdōz
dozed; dozing
: to sleep lightly
doze noun
dozer noun

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