Definitions

fall asleep

VERB

sleep

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bed down doze languish relax snooze

STRONG

bunk catnap crash dream drowse flop hibernate nap nod oversleep repose rest retire slumber snore yawn

WEAK

catch a wink catch forty winks conk out cop some z's drop off fall out hit the hay hit the sack nod off sack out saw wood take a nap turn in zonk out zzz

Antonyms

STRONGEST

grow

STRONG

be active energize

WEAK

wake waken

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

She’d chugged a Red Bull, which she never did, and couldn’t fall asleep.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 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

Because of this shift, many teens cannot fall asleep early enough to get sufficient rest before school.

From Science Daily • Mar. 11, 2026

Raindrops pelted the window, making it hard to fall asleep.

From "Breaking Through" by Francisco Jiménez