napped; napping
: a hairy, fuzzy, or downy surface (as on a fabric)
British
: a pick or recommendation as a good bet to win a contest (such as a horse race)
also
: one named in a nap
Synonyms
Examples of nap in a Sentence
Verb (1)
decided to let the kids nap for a few more minutes before waking them
I'm just going to nap the entire afternoon
Noun (1)
so tired that she needed to take a refreshing nap before soccer practice
Noun (2)
high-quality suede has a good, even nap
Recent Examples on the Web
Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
Spotting animals came surprisingly easy, even the prize of two lions napping in the shade.
—Tanveer Badal, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Dec. 2024
Patricia Hernandez, Rolling Stone, 10 Jan. 2025
Do nice things for yourself: go to a movie, take a nap, cook a healthy meal.
—Jenny McCoy, Glamour, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for nap 
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Verb
Seniors, on the other hands, may be content with a cozy corner to nap in.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
Spotting animals came surprisingly easy, even the prize of two lions napping in the shade.
—Tanveer Badal, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Dec. 2024
Noun
Actually, with half a day at his disposal, Cole could probably finish it, stop to take a nap, and then leisurely wake up only to find most of us only halfway through.
—Patricia Hernandez, Rolling Stone, 10 Jan. 2025
Do nice things for yourself: go to a movie, take a nap, cook a healthy meal.
—Jenny McCoy, Glamour, 10 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for nap
Articles Related to nap
Dictionary Entries Near nap
Cite this Entry
“Nap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nap. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nap
1 of 4 verb
napped; napping
1
: to sleep briefly especially during the day
2
: to be off guard
was caught napping
nap
2 of 4 noun
: a short sleep especially during the day
nap
3 of 4 noun
: a hairy or downy surface on a woven fabric or leather
nappy
adjective
ˈnap-ē
nap
4 of 4 verb
napped; napping
: to raise a nap on fabric or leather
Etymology
Verb
Old English hnappian "to doze"
Noun
Middle English noppe "soft surface on a fabric," from early Dutch noppe "tuft of wool, nap"
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