adormilarse

To doze off or become drowsy without fully falling asleep — se adormiló en el sofá viendo la tele. A common, colloquial reflexive verb for that light, in-between drowsy state.

• Me adormilé un rato en el tren. — I dozed off for a while on the train.
• Se adormila cada tarde después de comer. — He dozes off every afternoon after lunch.
• Estaba adormilada cuando sonó el teléfono. — She was half-asleep when the phone rang.

Treating adormilarse as fully synonymous with dormirse (to fall asleep) — adormilarse specifically describes a light, incomplete drowsiness, not deep sleep.

Often confused with dormirse.