sleepier; sleepiest
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
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
Outside of these scenarios, taking melatonin may not have as much upside—your brain is already making the melatonin that signals sleepy time each evening, and adding more simply presses the same button.
—
Erica Sloan, SELF, 6 Mar. 2026
The series’ Vladimir, played by Leo Woodall, is a rising literary star and a young father who’s just arrived at a sleepy upstate college, where he and his wife are set to teach.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 5 Mar. 2026
Then, last Tuesday, Jackie started pancaking — lying flat in the nest bowl — for long stretches and her eyes looked sleepy.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026
Once a sleepy fishing village, Rockport is growing, but still lures in anglers, artists, families, and nature lovers who like the slower pace.
—Pam Leblanc, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sleepy
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Erica Sloan, SELF, 6 Mar. 2026
The series’ Vladimir, played by Leo Woodall, is a rising literary star and a young father who’s just arrived at a sleepy upstate college, where he and his wife are set to teach.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 5 Mar. 2026
Then, last Tuesday, Jackie started pancaking — lying flat in the nest bowl — for long stretches and her eyes looked sleepy.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2026
Once a sleepy fishing village, Rockport is growing, but still lures in anglers, artists, families, and nature lovers who like the slower pace.
—Pam Leblanc, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sleepy
Cite this Entry
“Sleepy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sleepy. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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