during his sleep

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "during his sleep" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe actions or events that occur while someone is sleeping. Example: "He often talks during his sleep, which can be quite amusing to hear."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

"She told me she went out to buy acid to pour on him during his sleep.

The New York Times

An autopsy case of a two-month-old male infant who suddenly and unexpectedly died during his sleep, eight days after the onset of benign varicella.

Journal of Clinical Virology

The guy beside you has a wide stance and an overmedicated gaze that suggests he will drool during his sleep.

The New Yorker

"I remember that he had nightmares and cried during his sleep," said one inmate, asking not to be identified for fear of reprisal by prison officials.

The New York Times

Maybe his ace was the result of the "dress rehearsal" in his dreams, or maybe it was Fox's inner voice talking to him during his sleep, reminding him of the possibilities of his game and his golf stroke.

The New York Times

After initial reports that Ramin Pourandarjani had killed himself, the Iranian authorities announced that the 26-year-old had died of a heart attack during his sleep at a health centre in Tehran's police headquarters where he was based while on military service.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

He said Mr. Glenn would awaken and go back to sleep during the middle of his sleep period, something the former astronaut said he did not remember doing.

The New York Times

Dr. Winter monitored his sleep during the night.

HuffPost

DOI: 10.1038/sj/bjc/6600292 www.bjcancer.com © 2002 Cancer Research UK After a long battle with prostate cancer, Tom Connors died in his sleep, during the early hours of Monday 4th February: a true irony for someone whose research had contributed so much to the fight against cancer and who had made such an outstanding contribution to the whole cancer research community.

British Journal of Cancer

Ms. Geha went so far as to accommodate an artist in residence: Jeff DeGolier, who constructed a large installation in her living room out of trash he found around Austin during his week sleeping on Ms. Geha's lime green sofa.

The New York Times - Arts

She describes him barking during sex and whimpering in his sleep.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a recurring event, consider using "in his sleep" for brevity. For example, "He often talks in his sleep" is more concise than "He often talks during his sleep".

Common error

Avoid redundancy by ensuring you're not using both "during" and "while" in the same clause when describing something happening as someone sleeps. For example, don't say "During while he's sleeping", it should be either "During his sleep" or "While he's sleeping".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "during his sleep" functions as a prepositional phrase modifying a verb or noun, indicating when an action or event takes place. According to Ludwig, this phrase is correct and usable in written English. The phrase specifies the timing of an action.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Science

25%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Academia

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "during his sleep" is a grammatically sound and relatively common prepositional phrase used to specify when something occurs in relation to a male individual's sleeping period. Ludwig confirms its usability in English. It's most frequently found in news and media, science, and wiki contexts, as indicated by the example sentences. While interchangeable with phrases like "in his sleep", "while he sleeps", the choice depends on the desired level of emphasis and conciseness. Remember to avoid redundancies like "during while he's sleeping". Alternatives like "while he's asleep" or ""in his sleep"" offer more concise ways to convey the same meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

in his sleep

Concise and direct alternative using a prepositional phrase.

while he's asleep

Rephrases using a simpler conjunction and pronoun.

as he slept

Simplifies the phrase using a past tense verb.

when he is sleeping

A more descriptive and explicit phrasing.

throughout his sleep

Uses a different preposition to describe the time span.

in his sleeping hours

Changes the structure to emphasize the time period.

as he slumbers

Employs a more literary and evocative verb.

while in slumber

Uses a noun form of sleep for a slightly more formal tone.

in the course of his sleep

Adds extra words to create a more verbose form of the original phrase.

during his repose

Substitutes "sleep" with the synonym "repose", adding formality.

FAQs

What does "during his sleep" mean?

The phrase "during his sleep" refers to something that happens or occurs while a male individual is in the state of sleeping. It indicates the timing of an event within the period of someone's sleep.

What are some alternatives to "during his sleep"?

You can use alternatives like "in his sleep", "while he sleeps", or "as he slumbers" depending on the context and desired tone.

How can I use "during his sleep" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe actions, events, or phenomena occurring while someone is sleeping, such as "He often cries "in his sleep"" or "She monitored his brain activity "while he sleeps"".

Is there a difference between "during his sleep" and "in his sleep"?

While both phrases can be used interchangeably in many contexts, "in his sleep" is generally more concise. "During his sleep" might be preferred when emphasizing the duration or period of sleep, and ""in his sleep"" when referring to a state or condition.