# dozing

/ˈdoʊzɪŋ/ (US) · /dˈəʊzɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dozing
Updated: 2026-10-19

## Definition

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

For teachers: to sleep lightly or briefly, often unintentionally and without entering deep sleep.

## Examples

- He is dozing on the sofa after lunch.
- She kept dozing during the long train ride and missed her stop.
- The old dog lay dozing in the afternoon sun while children played quietly around him.

## Usage notes

- Intransitive; often appears as 'dozing off' to mark the moment of falling 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.