fall asleep

Idioms  

1. Go to sleep; also, cease paying attention. For example, As soon as the lights were dimmed he fell asleep, or His lectures are so dull that I fall asleep. The literal usage, which uses the verb fall in the sense of “succumb,” dates from about 1300; the figurative is several centuries newer. Also see asleep at the switch.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fall asleep

At first, his pregnant wife was scared he might fall asleep at the wheel.

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026

When you hold your loved one’s hand as they fall asleep and die right in front of you, it stays with you.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026

Thorn Rose accepts him and everyone rejoices—but soon they all fall asleep again, suggesting that the cycle will repeat forever.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026

Chen began by massaging my scalp for about 10 minutes, as I tried not to fall asleep.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 6, 2026

Jaya and Jad were waiting for their father to fall asleep.

From "The Wild Robot Escapes" by Peter Brown

Related Words

• bed down
• doze
• languish
• relax
• snooze