soporific

[sop-uh-rif-ik, soh-puh-]

adjective

1. causing or tending to cause sleep.

2. pertaining to or characterized by sleep or sleepiness; sleepy; drowsy.

noun

1. something that causes sleep, as a medicine or drug.

soporific

/ ˌsɒpəˈrɪfɪk /

adjective

1. inducing sleep

2. drowsy; sleepy

noun

1. a drug or other agent that induces sleep

Other Word Forms

• soporifically adverb
• antisoporific adjective
• nonsoporific adjective
• unsoporific adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of soporific¹

1655–65; < Latin sopor sopor + -i- + -fic; compare French soporifique

Example Sentences

The sell-out race, which sees around 300,000 fans gather in north-west France, was a soporific event in 2025, with fewer incidents and accidents between the 62 cars which began the race than usual.

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The change has been introduced after a soporific race in 2024 that followed years of growing concerns about the tendency towards uneventful grands prix on the historic streets on the Cote d'Azur.

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He talked about it in his soporific acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention:

Read more on Salon

Musty retreads of Ibsen and Chekhov, besides being counter to the maverick spirit of their play, can be soporific endurance tests.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

It’s so effective a soporific that most nights I struggle to read for more than 10 minutes, which is both satisfying and maddening.

Read more on New York Times