sleepy

adjective

ˈslē-pē How to pronounce sleepy (audio)
sleepier; sleepiest
Synonyms of sleepynext
1
a
: ready to fall asleep
b
: of, relating to, or characteristic of sleep
2
: sluggish as if from sleep : lethargic
also : having little activity
a sleepy coastal village
3
: sleep-inducing
sleepily
ˈslē-pə-lē How to pronounce sleepy (audio)
adverb
sleepiness
ˈslē-pē-nəs How to pronounce sleepy (audio)
noun

Synonyms of sleepy

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Examples of sleepy in a Sentence

She felt sleepy and went to bed. the sleepy children were carried up to bed
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Summer is a sleepy season for new cookbooks. — Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 25 June 2026 The 500-hectare centre brought a huge number of South Koreans to what had been a sleepy town. — Tomás Hill López-Menchero, New York Times, 25 June 2026 Unlike much of the group stage, Sunday’s game was a sloppy, sleepy affair, with South Africa relying on some heroic play from its back line to keep the game even. — Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2026 The healthcare sector, usually a sleepy corner of the market, rallied in June – and Raymond James added two rising stars to its list of top picks in the sector. — Darla Mercado, Cfp®, CNBC, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for sleepy

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sleepy was in the 13th century

Rhymes for sleepy

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Browse Nearby Words

sleep with
sleepy
sleepy catchfly
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Cite this Entry

“Sleepy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sleepy. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

sleepy

adjective
ˈslē-pē How to pronounce sleepy (audio)
sleepier; sleepiest
1
: ready to fall asleep
2
: quietly inactive
a sleepy village
sleepily
-pə-lē How to pronounce sleepy (audio)
adverb
sleepiness
-pē-nəs How to pronounce sleepy (audio)
noun

Medical Definition

sleepy

adjective
ˈslē-pē How to pronounce sleepy (audio)
sleepier; sleepiest
: ready to fall asleep
sleepiness
-pē-nəs How to pronounce sleepy (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on sleepy

Nglish: Translation of sleepy for Spanish Speakers

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