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Synonyms

groggy

American  
[grog-ee] / ˈgrɒg i /

adjective

groggier, groggiest

  1. staggering, as from exhaustion or blows.

    a boxer groggy from his opponent's hard left jab.

  2. dazed and weakened, as from lack of sleep.

    Late nights always make me groggy the next morning.
    Synonyms:
    dopey, woozy, lethargic, sluggish

  3. Archaic. drunk; intoxicated.

groggy British  
/ ˈɡrɒɡɪ /

adjective

  1. dazed or staggering, as from exhaustion, blows, or drunkenness

  2. faint or weak

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • groggily adverb
  • grogginess noun

Etymology

Origin of groggy

First recorded in 1760–70; grog + -y 1

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.

Many of the students looked a bit groggy amid the 7:30 a.m. hoopla, another change to their routine.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 27, 2026

For the first 10 days onboard, I woke up groggy, stuffed and head pounding.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 30, 2025

Noah noted that traffic accidents appear to spike after the switch because drivers are groggy and thus less vigilant.

From Slate • Oct. 31, 2025

My alarm blares its generic Apple chime, and I keep hitting snooze—only to wake up groggy, drained, and unmotivated to make the most of the dwindling daylight.

From Salon • Feb. 1, 2025

Before Harry or Luna could act, Professor McGonagall rose to her feet, pointed her wand at the groggy Death Eater, and said, “Imperio.”

From "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" by J.K. Rowling

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.