# doze

/ˈdoʊz/ (US) · /dˈəʊz/ (UK) · CEFR B1 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/doze
Updated: 2026-10-16

## Definition

to sleep lightly for a short time, often without meaning to.

For teachers: to sleep lightly or briefly, often unintentionally. Often combines with 'off' to mark the moment of falling asleep.

## Examples

- He often dozes on the sofa after lunch.
- She dozed in the waiting room and missed her name being called.
- After the long flight, he dozed through the afternoon meeting, waking only when his colleague nudged him.

## Synonyms

snooze, nap, drowse

## Antonyms

Wake

## Usage notes

- Intransitive with no direct object; commonly pairs with 'off' in 'doze off' to mean fall asleep.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.