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Synonyms

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.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

It knows how long it takes you to fall asleep and reports alleged wakeups in the middle of the night.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 29, 2026

In these cases, melatonin can help children fall asleep more quickly, extend total sleep time, and improve overall quality of life for caregivers.

From Science Daily • Mar. 15, 2026

While in court, he appeared to fall asleep at one point, media reports indicate.

From BBC • Mar. 11, 2026

“But it happened. Because you weren’t careful. I don’t know why you thought it would be a good idea to fall asleep down there.”

From "A Soft Place to Land" by Janae Marks

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.