What does soporific mean?
Word: Soporific
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Soporific means so dull or gentle that it makes you want to sleep.
Synonyms: sleep-inducing
How do you spell soporific?
Syllables: sop - o - rif - ic
Tricky part: The weak vowel after the p is the trap, and pupils write i, e or u there.
Watch out for: sopirific, sopurific, soperific
Memory tip: Picture a yawning pupil: the round O of his mouth is the vowel after the p.
Soporific in a sentence
Example 1: The soporific hum of the bees sent the gardener off for a nap.
Example 2: After lunch, the slow history film proved rather soporific.
Example 3: Warm milk and a soporific story soon had the twins asleep.
Fun Fact
Beatrix Potter opened The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies by saying that eating too much lettuce is soporific, a grand word to meet in a picture book.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Only one word in the list is misspelt. Choose the meaning of that word.
1. lethargic 2. sopporific 3. mellifluous 4. monotonous
a) bringing on a heavy need for bed and rest
b) lacking energy and enthusiasm
c) dull because it never changes
d) sweet and smooth to hear
Show answer
a) bringing on a heavy need for bed and rest. One p is enough in this word; lethargic, monotonous and mellifluous are all correct.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct three letters to form a word:
s_por_f_c
a) o, e, i
b) u, i, i
c) o, i, e
d) o, i, i
Show answer
d) o, i, i. The opening rhymes with hop, and the two later vowels are both the i of it.
Mingle-Mangle
The sentence contains a jumbled word. Choose the word it hides:
The long, warm bus ride had a fiisrpcoo effect on all the tired players.
a) specific
b) sonorous
c) scientific
d) soporific
Show answer
d) soporific. Two o's and an r sit in the jumble with no t or n, which leaves one word.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word soporific as used in the sentence:
The soporific heat of the afternoon slowed the whole village down.
a) drowsy
b) tedious
c) invigorating
d) lulling
Show answer
c) invigorating. The heat makes people slow, so the opposite gives them energy.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A science lecture is described as soporific. What did the audience most likely do?
a) struggle to keep their eyes open
b) take careful notes throughout
c) rush to the stage with questions
d) clap along for the whole talk
Show answer
a) struggle to keep their eyes open
2. Which sound could fairly be called soporific?
a) a sudden clap of monsoon thunder
b) the steady drone of a ceiling fan
c) an alarm clock at six in the morning
d) a brass band passing the window
Show answer
b) the steady drone of a ceiling fan
