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Is there any difference between sleep and doze off?
I have always used dozed off to imply that I slept unintentionally or lightly like for example

The lecture was so boring that I dozed off in the class.
I missed my stop as I dozed off in the bus.

Is this how we use "doze off"? Can someone please clarify?

2 Answers 2

1

When you say it with the past perfect:

I missed my stop as I had dozed off on the bus.

as means "because". had dozen off = had fallen asleep. You were already fully asleep when the bus arrived at your stop.

Without the past perfect, using simple past:

I missed my stop as I dozed off on the bus.

as means "while". dozed off = fell asleep. You were falling asleep just when you should have been preparing to get off the bus.

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"Doze off" means you fall asleep without meaning to, or without actively trying to do.

Both your examples are correct usage of the term.

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