verb C1 Advanced

snooze

snooz

Snooze (verb) means to sleep lightly for a short time; to nap. Example: “I snoozed on the sofa for twenty minutes after lunch.”

verb

To sleep lightly for a short time; to nap.

"I snoozed on the sofa for twenty minutes after lunch."

"The cat snoozed in the sun all afternoon."

noun

The button on an alarm clock that delays the alarm by a few minutes.

"He hit the snooze button three times before finally getting up."

How to use snooze

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA quick, light sleep — or the button that buys you a few more minutes of one.

Common pairings

hit snooze take a snooze snooze button

Word forms

snoozed past tense, snoozes plural, snoozes singular

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

I _____ on the sofa for twenty minutes after lunch.

Etymology

Unknown, attested since 18th century. Compare Dutch snoezelen (“to snooze”) or Swedish snusa (“to snore lightly”). Compare also Ancient Greek νυστάζω (nustázō, “to doze, drowse”) and Russian сон (son, “sleep, dream”).

Synonyms

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nap doze catnap drowse cat sleep forty winks short sleep

Related words

sleep nap slumber catnap doze drowse dozing

Rhymes for snooze

ooze doze booze schmooze bulldoze

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Frequently asked questions

What does “snooze” mean?

The word “snooze” means to sleep lightly for a short time; to nap. In plain terms, a quick, light sleep — or the button that buys you a few more minutes of one.

How do you pronounce “snooze”?

“Snooze” is pronounced snooz (/snuːz/ in IPA).

How do you use “snooze” in a sentence?

Here is “snooze” used in a sentence: “I snoozed on the sofa for twenty minutes after lunch.”

What part of speech is “snooze”?

Depending on how it is used, “snooze” can be a verb and a noun.

How many meanings does “snooze” have?

“Snooze” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to sleep lightly for a short time; to nap.

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sleep nap slumber catnap doze drowse dozing