DROWSY Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

drowsy

adjective

ˈdrau̇-zē

Definition of drowsy

as in sleepy

desiring or needing sleep the drowsy students shuffled into the first-period class

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in hypnotic

tending to cause sleep listened to drowsy music while waiting in the dentist's office

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of drowsy Usually, treatment plans start with non-drowsy, second-generation antihistamines such as cetirizine (Zyrtec), loratadine (Claritin), or fexofenadine (Allegra). — Zia Sherrell, Health, 7 Mar. 2026 People who have trouble sleeping may feel exhausted, drowsy and less awake. — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 5 Mar. 2026 Afternoons here are deliciously drowsy, spent dozing in the shade, gently parting calm sea water, or gliding past craggy rock formations in a little motor-boat. — Rosalyn Wikeley, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Jan. 2026 Some of the consequences of owing your body sleep are readily apparent, like feeling drowsy, irritable, or brain-foggy, or catching seemingly every virus. — Erica Sloan, SELF, 6 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for drowsy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for drowsy

Adjective

SpaceX employs about 5,000 people directly in the Brownsville region and has transformed a sleepy border area into an aerospace powerhouse.

— Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 3 Aug. 2026
This week, kids will learn some new dance moves, maybe even find a new favorite sleepy time song.

— Parents, Parents, 31 July 2026

Definition of sleepy

Adjective

Jim James has released a new single from his first solo LP in eight years, Wowed Out, sharing its hypnotic title track alongside a new music video.

— Sophie Miller, Rolling Stone, 28 July 2026
Indeed, by then, the hypnotic spell had been cast across all of Europe, including on those liberated from the drab tyrannies of actually existing socialism.

— Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026

Definition of hypnotic

Adjective

That’s because when the body experiences physical stress, including losing weight quickly, more hairs can shift into a resting phase and fall out a few months later — typically two to three months after the event, Rossi explains.

— Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 17 Feb. 2026
This is a condition where, due to stress or hormonal changes, the body puts the hair follicles into a resting phase.

— Essence, Essence, 19 Dec. 2025

Definition of resting

Browse Nearby Words

drowsing (off)

drowsy

drub

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Drowsy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/drowsy. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of drowsy

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on drowsy

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

colloquial

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes