Phrasal verb
doze off
Definition
phrasal verb. to fall into a light sleep without meaning to, especially during the day.
phrasal verb. to fall into a light sleep unintentionally, often while in a seated position or during a period of inactivity.
Examples
“I often doze off while watching a movie.”
“The lecture was so boring that several students started to doze off in the back row.”
“After a long day of hiking, he sat by the fire and gradually dozed off despite the loud conversation around him.”
Examples
simple
“I often doze off while watching a movie.”
contextual
“The lecture was so boring that several students started to doze off in the back row.”
complex
“After a long day of hiking, he sat by the fire and gradually dozed off despite the loud conversation around him.”
Usage
usually describes a short, light sleep rather than a deep night's rest.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'nod off' (which implies the physical movement of the head dropping) and 'fall asleep' (which is more general and often intentional).
Pitfall
I dozed off the meeting.
I dozed off during the meeting.
this phrasal verb is intransitive and cannot take a direct object; you must use a preposition like 'during' or 'in'.
Phrasal verb
Particles
off
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
doze + off
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/doze-off