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
Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 3 Nov. 2024
Green was convicted for the 1993 murder of James Jordan, who was gunned down while napping on the side of a North Carolina highway.
—Ryan Morik, Fox News, 21 Oct. 2024
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2024
And, for overnight guests, on-site staycations, or just taking an afternoon nap after a day at the beach, the one-bedroom, one-bath beachfront bungalow’s lounge spills onto a private patio.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 6 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for nap 
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Verb
Their uncle was baby-sitting them while their mother was working, and they were supposed to be napping.
—Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 3 Nov. 2024
Green was convicted for the 1993 murder of James Jordan, who was gunned down while napping on the side of a North Carolina highway.
—Ryan Morik, Fox News, 21 Oct. 2024
Noun
The creature will eventually amble up to a house with a cracked attic window, slipping inside for an early afternoon nap.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2024
And, for overnight guests, on-site staycations, or just taking an afternoon nap after a day at the beach, the one-bedroom, one-bath beachfront bungalow’s lounge spills onto a private patio.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 6 Nov. 2024
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 1 Dec. 2024.
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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