What is the difference between nap, snooze and doze?

Solution 1:

To nap seems to indicate a conscious decision to actually sleep for a while:

I think I will take a short nap before leaving for the party.

As such, I also think that of the three options, napping lasts the longest, you can actually prepare for a nap and go to bed for it).

I dozed off for a while as John went through the 12th power point of the meeting.

To doze, or to doze off, brings to mind what happens during a boring meeting. I don;t think one would consciously decide to doze for a while. I also do not expect someone to go to bed to doze, and usually someone that dozes off will be nudged awake by a colleague :P Someone who dozes off does not usually get to enjoy real sleep.

I was late for work today because I hit the snooze button too often.

To snooze is a verb I know mostly from my digital alarm clock, and it gives me 9 minutes of silence during which I do not really get a chance for any deep or real sleep. I'd imagine that to snooze is something you do for a (more or less) predetermined, very short period of time, without the intention of actually sleeping.

Solution 2:

While nap, snooze and doze mean sleep; nap and snooze are intentional while doze isn't.

Snooze differs from nap; the former continues from previous sleep. You were sleeping and then awaken by something like an alarm clock, or its just time to wake up, so you decide to continue sleeping for a short period before getting up. While nap is a new sleep, never say “I just took a short nap” or “short snooze” because both already mean short sleeps.

To doze can be long. "I went home and felt so tired that I just dozed off on the sofa till morning". That makes sense because something unintentional cannot be planned for how long a period.

Just a reminder... never doze off at the steering wheeel because you never know if and when you will wake up.