fall asleep

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

Occasionally one will actually fall asleep on camera, only to be yelled at by Atlas.

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Or a recent report in the Washington Post about how the president keeps falling asleep during televised events.

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I don’t realize I’ve fallen asleep until Autumn kicks me awake.

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Moments later, a soft snore indicated that she had fallen asleep.

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Cassiopeia, the youngest, had taken a Giddy-Yap, Rainbow! book from the shelf to look at the pictures and had promptly fallen asleep in the rocking chair.

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Related Words

• bed down www.thesaurus.com
• doze 
• languish 
• relax 
• snooze