doze

1 of 2

verb (1)

dozed; dozing

intransitive verb

1
a
: to sleep lightly
b
: to fall into a light sleep
usually used with off
2
: to be in a dull or stupefied condition

transitive verb

: to pass (time) drowsily
doze noun

doze

2 of 2

verb (2)

dozed; dozing

Examples of doze in a Sentence

Verb (1) likes to doze through those lazy summer afternoons she dozed fitfully in the car but never fell completely asleep
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
And while some seeds can long outlive people in this dozing state, many grow old and expire, even under ideal storage conditions. Katarina Zimmer, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 May 2025 And Greenlaw, dozing happily, was wearing a Denver Broncos jersey. Luca Evans, Mercury News, 31 Mar. 2025 Don’t forget to say hi to Gobber in his workshop, alongside his dozing dragon, Grump. Samantha Neely, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2025 Despite downing a large coffee early in the morning, by the afternoon, Aaron was dozing in the waiting room. Christian Babcock, The Mercury News, 3 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for doze

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

perhaps of Scandinavian origin; akin to Old Norse dūsa to doze

Verb (2)

probably back-formation from dozer (bulldozer)

First Known Use

Verb (1)

1677, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1a

Verb (2)

1945, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of doze was in 1677

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Doze.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/doze. Accessed 13 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

doze

verb
ˈdōz
dozed; dozing
: to sleep lightly
doze noun
dozer noun

More from Merriam-Webster on doze

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!