Spanish word of the day: Desvelarse

What does desvelarse mean?

Desvelarse (verb) — To stay awake or be unable to sleep, either unintentionally or by choice.

Example sentences with desvelarse

• Anoche me desvelé preparando la presentación y ahora estoy agotado.
  (Last night I stayed up late preparing the presentation and now I'm exhausted.)

• Se desveló pensando en soluciones para sus problemas de negocio.
  They lost sleep thinking about solutions to their business problems.

• Me desvelé hasta las tres de la madrugada probando el nuevo videojuego.
  (I stayed awake until three in the morning testing the new videogame.

Confused about how to conjugate desvelarse? Our conjugation tables can help.

Desvelarse in context

This reflexive verb is incredibly common in daily Spanish conversation, particularly when discussing sleep habits or explaining why you're tired. Essentially. You'll hear it in contexts like explaining why you're yawning in a morning meeting ("Me desvelé anoche trabajando en el proyecto"), or even as an excuse for missing deadlines ("Perdón por el retraso, me desvelé pero no logré terminar el informe").

Unlike the English phrase "pulling an all-nighter," which sounds somewhat planned, "desvelarse" often carries a hint of regret or inevitability—it's what happens when worry, work, or entertainment keeps you from getting proper rest.