fall asleep
/fɔːl əˈsliːp/
Meaning
'Fall asleep' means to transition from being awake to being asleep. It describes the actual moment or process of entering sleep, rather than the continuous state of sleeping itself.
Examples
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I usually fall asleep within ten minutes of lying down.
I usually fall asleep within ten minutes of lying down.
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The movie was so boring that I fell asleep in the middle of it.
The movie was so boring that I fell asleep in the middle of it.
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It is hard to fall asleep when it is too hot in the room.
It is hard to fall asleep when it is too hot in the room.
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She fell asleep while reading a book on the couch.
She fell asleep while reading a book on the couch.
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The baby finally fell asleep after a long walk in the stroller.
The baby finally fell asleep after a long walk in the stroller.
Common Mistakes
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✗ I slept at 11 PM last night.
✓ I fell asleep at 11 PM last night.
'Sleep' is a continuous state. To talk about the transition from awake to asleep, use 'fall asleep' or 'go to sleep'.
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✗ He was falling sleep on the bus.
✓ He was falling asleep on the bus.
The correct adjective is 'asleep' (one word), not the noun 'sleep'.
Related Expressions
Practice
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I was so tired that I ___ during the lecture.
💡 Past tense of entering a state of sleep.
Show answer
fell asleep
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Drinking warm milk helps some people ___ more easily.
💡 To transition from awake to sleeping.
Show answer
fall asleep