drowse off

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "drowse off" is correct and can be used in written English.
It means to gradually fall asleep or to become drowsy. Example: As the soothing music played, she began to drowse off on the couch.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

He doesn't want to drowse off and miss the answer to Bening's question.

The New Yorker

Set your alarm so it goes off every 30 minutes or so just in case you do drowse off.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

I try not to watch as she sort of drowses off for a second, chin-to-chest.

Vice

Margolin's lyricism is typified by her short poem "Slender Ships," which begins, "Slender ships drowse on the swollen green water, / black shadows sleep on the cold heart of the water".

Encyclopedia Britannica

We began to drowse.

The New Yorker

She dried him off and dressed him in a diaper and pajamas, and Salvador lay back in her arms on the couch, clutching a handful of her hair as he drank his bottle and began to drowse.

The New York Times - Magazine

A huge lunch is served upstairs to stop us leaving the building: meat, fish, pasta, wine, cheese and pudding, which some of us smuggle out in napkins to snack on at teatime, as we drowse beside the keyboard.In my office, which faces west on the 13th floor, the blinds are permanently down to keep the dazzle of daylight off our screens.

The Economist

As people begin to drowse, experts said, their eye-blinks slow down, there are fewer of them and the eyes stay closed for a longer time.

The New York Times

There he drowsed on an ebony bed, apparently without the advantage of ionizing purifiers to keep the air from becoming stagnant.

The New York Times

A man tells of drowsing on his bed in the heat of the day when his girlfriend arrives wearing next to nothing – and what happens next.

The Guardian - Books

On a recent morning 200 medical students drowse as a professor flashes slides of bile ducts overhead.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "drowse off" to describe a gentle or gradual transition into sleep, often in a comfortable or relaxing setting.

Common error

Avoid using "drowse off" when you mean simply to be drowsy without actually falling asleep. "Drowsing" implies a state of being sleepy, while "drowse off" implies the action of falling asleep.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "drowse off" is a phrasal verb, indicating an action. It describes the process of gradually falling asleep. Ludwig AI confirms that this phrase is correct and suitable for use in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

50%

Science

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrasal verb "drowse off" describes the act of gradually falling asleep, often in a relaxed state. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and suitability for written English. While relatively rare, as demonstrated by Ludwig's limited examples, it's found in news and general writing. Alternatives include "drift off to sleep" and "nod off". When using "drowse off", ensure you're describing the process of falling asleep, not just a state of being drowsy. Therefore, using the term correctly and understanding its subtle nuances enhances the clarity and expressiveness of your writing, effectively capturing the gentle transition into sleep.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

drift off to sleep

Implies a gradual transition into sleep.

doze off

Indicates a light sleep, similar to napping.

nod off

Suggests a brief, unintentional sleep.

drop off to sleep

Emphasizes a sudden or quick onset of sleep.

fall asleep

A general term for entering a state of sleep.

succumb to sleep

Suggests being overcome by the need to sleep.

slumber

A more formal term for sleep.

become drowsy

Focuses on the feeling of sleepiness.

lose consciousness

Indicates a deeper state than just falling asleep.

conk out

An informal term for falling asleep quickly and heavily.

FAQs

What does "drowse off" mean?

The phrase "drowse off" means to gradually fall asleep or become drowsy, typically in a relaxing or comfortable setting.

How can I use "drowse off" in a sentence?

You can use "drowse off" in a sentence like this: "After a long day at work, he began to "drowse off" on the couch while watching TV."

What are some alternatives to "drowse off"?

Some alternatives to "drowse off" include "drift off to sleep", "nod off", and "doze off".

Is "drowse off" formal or informal?

"Drowse off" is generally considered to be a neutral term that can be used in both formal and informal contexts, though it leans slightly towards the informal side.