returned to sleep

USAGE SUMMARY

"returned to sleep" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It means to go back to sleep after briefly waking up or getting out of bed. Example: After tossing and turning for hours, she finally fell asleep. However, her peaceful slumber was interrupted by a loud noise. After checking, she found that everything was fine and returned to sleep.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

He returned to sleep "overwhelmed with joy," he said.

The New York Times

Their faces swam through my mind for a long time before I returned to sleep.

Stanford University

The kids have burrowed down into the luggage and returned to sleep.

The New Yorker

He returned to sleep rough in familiar areas of London despite being aware that there was now little prospect of being housed anywhere in the capital.

The Guardian

After having escorted the diplomats from the building, Edelstam then returned to sleep there that night, in order to protect the Chileans wanted by the regime.

The Guardian

At night she returned to sleep jammed in a one-bedroom apartment in Flushing with her cousin, her cousin's father and three strangers.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

Whereas the control rats explored the new cage for the complete 30-min period, exercised animals only did so during the first 15 min after which they returned to sleeping or resting behavior.

Plosone

And so, eventually, I return to sleep.

The New Yorker

I often can't return to sleep for an hour after this.

Harvard University

Then they would return to sleep on mattresses on the floor.

The New York Times

He would awake in a panic, and struggle futilely to return to sleep.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "returned to sleep" to clearly indicate a resumption of sleep after a brief awakening, especially when emphasizing the interruption and subsequent return.

Common error

While grammatically correct, "returned to sleep" can sometimes sound slightly informal in very formal writing. Consider using "resumed sleeping" or a more descriptive phrase to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "returned to sleep" primarily functions as a verb phrase indicating the resumption of a state of sleep. It describes the action of going back to sleep after an interruption. Ludwig AI identifies this as grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Academia

20%

Science

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "returned to sleep" is a grammatically correct and commonly understood phrase that describes the action of going back to sleep after an interruption. While Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness, the choice of using this phrase depends on the context. It's suitable for news, general writing, and even some academic contexts, though more formal or scientific writing may benefit from alternatives like "resumed sleeping". Usage patterns show its prevalence in News & Media sources. Consider alternatives such as "fell back asleep" or "drifted back to sleep" for subtle variations in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

went back to sleep

Simple substitution of "returned" with "went back", indicating a return to a previous state of sleep.

fell back asleep

Emphasizes the action of falling asleep again, highlighting the transition back to sleep.

drifted back to sleep

Suggests a gradual and gentle return to sleep, emphasizing the ease of falling back asleep.

resumed sleeping

Formal alternative using "resumed" to indicate the continuation of sleeping after an interruption.

went back to slumber

Replaces "sleep" with the more poetic "slumber", adding a touch of elegance and implying a peaceful sleep.

dozed off again

Implies a light sleep or nap, rather than a deep sleep, highlighting the brevity of the sleep.

reverted to sleep

Uses "reverted" to suggest a return to a previous state, possibly after a period of wakefulness or activity.

succumbed to sleep again

Suggests a yielding or giving in to the need for sleep, highlighting the compelling nature of sleep.

was sleeping again

A simple and direct way of saying that someone was asleep again.

relapsed into sleep

Implies a less conscious decision to return to sleep. Can be interpreted as a negative, as the subject lost control.

FAQs

How can I use "returned to sleep" in a sentence?

You can use "returned to sleep" to describe someone going back to sleep after waking up, for example: "After the noise subsided, she "went back to sleep"".

What are some alternatives to "returned to sleep"?

Alternatives include "fell back asleep", "drifted back to sleep", or "went back to slumber", each carrying slightly different nuances.

Is it correct to say "return to sleep" instead of "returned to sleep"?

While "return to sleep" can be grammatically correct in certain contexts (e.g., as an infinitive phrase), "returned to sleep" is typically used to describe a completed action in the past.

What does it mean when someone "returned to sleep"?

It means the person had woken up from sleep, either fully or partially, and then managed to fall asleep again.