nods off

Meaning

1. 1verbintransitiveinformal

   to fall asleep for a short time, especially without intending to.

   Grammar: No object; often followed by a time or place phrase: nod off in class.

   Patterns

   • nod off during something
   • nod off in/at a place
   • nod off for a while

   I nodded off during the meeting and missed the last point.

   He nodded off on the train and woke up two stops late.

   Grandpa often nods off in front of the television.

Word forms

Common combinations

nod off during a meeting

Several people nodded off during the long meeting.

nod off in front of the TV

He always nods off in front of the TV after dinner.

nod off at your desk

She nodded off at her desk after a late night.

nod off for a few minutes

I only nodded off for a few minutes, but I felt much better.

Synonyms and how they differ

doze off

Very similar, but doze off often suggests a light, gentle sleep and is slightly more common in writing.

fall asleep

More neutral and direct; nod off is more informal and often suggests you did not plan to sleep.

drop off

Also informal and means to fall asleep, but it can also mean to become fewer or to deliver something, so context matters.

Opposites

Word family

nod verb

To move your head down and up, often to agree or to greet someone.

nod noun

A movement of the head down and up.

Commonly confused: nods off or nod? nods off or night off?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “nods off”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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