Definition

Verb (intransitive) To transition from a state of being awake to a state of sleep, often unintentionally or at an inappropriate time. It implies a gradual or sudden onset of sleep.

Usage

This verb is used informally to describe the act of falling asleep, especially when it happens without intention, such as due to boredom or fatigue. It is often used in casual conversation.

Examples

• He tends to dope off during long meetings.
• After lunch, I sometimes dope off at my desk for a few minutes.
• The movie was so boring that I doped off before it ended.

Advanced Usage

• "to dope off on someone": To fall asleep while in the company of someone, potentially implying rudeness or extreme tiredness.
  • Sorry I doped off on you last night; I was exhausted from work.

Variants and Related Words

• Doze off: A more common and slightly less informal synonym with the same meaning.
  • She dozed off while reading the book.
• Nod off: Another common informal synonym, often suggesting the head nodding forward as one falls asleep.
  • He nodded off during the lecture.

Synonyms

• Fall asleep
• Drift off
• Drop off

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Zone out: To become inattentive or lose focus, but not necessarily fall asleep.
  • I wasn't asleep, I just zoned out for a moment.
• Conk out: To fall asleep very quickly from exhaustion; can also mean for a machine to stop working.
  • As soon as my head hit the pillow, I conked out.

Related Idioms

• Catch some Z's: A very informal idiom meaning to get some sleep.
  • I'm going to go catch some Z's before the party.

Verb

1. change from a waking to a sleeping state
   • he always falls asleep during lectures