Meaning & use
nodded off
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“nodded off” is a form of “nod off”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
verbphrasal verbinformal
Past tense and past participle of nod off: fell asleep, especially without meaning to, often while sitting.
Grammar: No object: he nodded off during the movie.
Patterns
- nod off during something
- nod off while doing something
Grandpa nodded off in his chair after lunch.
I nodded off on the train and missed my stop.
She nodded off halfway through the lecture.
Word forms
| base form | nod off |
|---|---|
| third person singular | nods off |
| past tense | nodded off |
| -ing form | nodding off |
Common combinations
- nodded off in front of the TV
- He nodded off in front of the TV again.
- nodded off during a meeting
- Someone nodded off during the long meeting.
- nodded off on the sofa
- The baby nodded off on the sofa.
- nodded off for a few minutes
- She nodded off for a few minutes in the waiting room.
- almost nodded off
- I almost nodded off while reading.
Synonyms and how they differ
- dozed off
- Dozed off is nearly the same and often suggests a lighter, longer nap, while nodded off suggests a quick slip into sleep.
- fell asleep
- Fell asleep is neutral and works in any situation, whereas nodded off is casual and usually accidental.
- drifted off
- Drifted off sounds gentler and more peaceful, while nodded off often suggests being tired or bored.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: nodded off or nod out?
nodded off vs nod out
Nod out is slang that can refer to drug-induced drowsiness, so it is not a safe synonym for nod off.
Practice
The movie was so slow that half the audience ___ before the ending.
Choose one answer.
'Nodded off' is the phrasal verb meaning fell asleep. The other particles do not form a phrasal verb with this meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “nodded off”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.