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somnolence

/ˈsɑmnələns/
IPA guide

Somnolence is a sleepy state. New parents often stagger through their days in somnolence, after spending their nights up with a baby who only sleeps for a few hours at a time.

Use the noun somnolence when you're talking about drowsiness. You might be overcome with somnolence in a boring class, especially if you didn't get much sleep the night before. Also, someone who seems to be out of it, going through life like a sleepwalker can be described as experiencing somnolence, which comes from the Latin word somnolentia, sleepiness.

Definitions of somnolence
  1. noun
    a very sleepy state
    synonyms: drowsiness, sleepiness
    see moresee less
    types:
    oscitance, oscitancy
    drowsiness and dullness manifested by yawning
    type of:
    temporary state
    a state that continues for a limited time
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