1
: into a state of sleep
2
: into the sleep of death
3
: into a state of inactivity, sluggishness, or indifference
Synonyms
Examples of asleep in a Sentence
Adjective
“Are you asleep?” “No, I'm awake.”
He tries to clean up the house while the kids are asleep.
The cats are asleep on the floor.
She was still asleep at noon.
Recent Examples on the Web
Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Nov. 2023
But at least three months of problems—including difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking early—is classified as insomnia.
—Rachel Murphy, Verywell Health, 17 Nov. 2023
Likewise, a short pro-Hamas propaganda sketch posted on TikTok purports to show a bearded fighter asleep under an olive tree after a night of prayer.
—Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Nov. 2023
Information from police came in spurts, including that the victims were most likely asleep when they were slain, and some of them had defensive wounds.
—Erik Ortiz, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2023
Review & Outlook, Nov. 9) was lost in August, when most of the people of my state were asleep at the switch.
—WSJ, 14 Nov. 2023
Nancy Pelosi was out of town, but her husband was asleep in a bedroom.
—Michael Finnegan, Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2023
Wagner seemed to be asleep when he was shot, the King County Sheriff’s Office said in the statement.
—Kc Baker, Peoplemag, 9 Nov. 2023
The Los Angeles Police Department deployed its controversial robot dog during a standoff with an armed man on a Metro bus Wednesday — only to realize the person was asleep.
—Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2023
Mark Gurarie, Health, 23 Sep. 2023
Panel three: Garfield has fallen back asleep, a tell-tale Z suspended above his head.
—Jeremy Gordon, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2023
Mike Barber was helping his 8-year-old son fall back asleep.
—Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2023
But be careful napping within five hours of your bedtime, Feinsilver cautions, as this may disrupt your ability to fall asleep later.
—Amanda MacMillan, Outside Online, 15 Sep. 2014
The way the teenager glides on the football field gives Jones chills, just like the kid’s ability to fall asleep nearly anywhere off it.
—Jonathan Abrams, New York Times, 19 Sep. 2022
Heather Dawes took a photo of father and son, making sure not to awaken one-year-old Finis, who had fallen asleep strapped to her chest at the start of the hike.
—Alex Temblador, Outside Online, 11 Aug. 2021
To launch the new theme, there’ll be a new program of four 20-minute sessions to help users relax and fall asleep more easily.
—Victoria Song, The Verge, 5 Jan. 2023
So sit back, relax, and fall asleep faster with these delectable delicacies.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 15 Dec. 2022
See More
Adjective
When officers arrived at the scene, the actress was asleep at the wheel of her car and then arrested under the suspicion of driving under the influence.
—Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Nov. 2023
But at least three months of problems—including difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking early—is classified as insomnia.
—Rachel Murphy, Verywell Health, 17 Nov. 2023
Likewise, a short pro-Hamas propaganda sketch posted on TikTok purports to show a bearded fighter asleep under an olive tree after a night of prayer.
—Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Nov. 2023
Information from police came in spurts, including that the victims were most likely asleep when they were slain, and some of them had defensive wounds.
—Erik Ortiz, NBC News, 13 Nov. 2023
Review & Outlook, Nov. 9) was lost in August, when most of the people of my state were asleep at the switch.
—WSJ, 14 Nov. 2023
Nancy Pelosi was out of town, but her husband was asleep in a bedroom.
—Michael Finnegan, Washington Post, 9 Nov. 2023
Wagner seemed to be asleep when he was shot, the King County Sheriff’s Office said in the statement.
—Kc Baker, Peoplemag, 9 Nov. 2023
The Los Angeles Police Department deployed its controversial robot dog during a standoff with an armed man on a Metro bus Wednesday — only to realize the person was asleep.
—Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2023
Adverb
Whether from a mental health disorder or periodic stress, managing anxiety—and learning ways to fall back asleep—can be a critical part of maintaining your overall health.
—Mark Gurarie, Health, 23 Sep. 2023
Panel three: Garfield has fallen back asleep, a tell-tale Z suspended above his head.
—Jeremy Gordon, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2023
Mike Barber was helping his 8-year-old son fall back asleep.
—Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2023
But be careful napping within five hours of your bedtime, Feinsilver cautions, as this may disrupt your ability to fall asleep later.
—Amanda MacMillan, Outside Online, 15 Sep. 2014
The way the teenager glides on the football field gives Jones chills, just like the kid’s ability to fall asleep nearly anywhere off it.
—Jonathan Abrams, New York Times, 19 Sep. 2022
Heather Dawes took a photo of father and son, making sure not to awaken one-year-old Finis, who had fallen asleep strapped to her chest at the start of the hike.
—Alex Temblador, Outside Online, 11 Aug. 2021
To launch the new theme, there’ll be a new program of four 20-minute sessions to help users relax and fall asleep more easily.
—Victoria Song, The Verge, 5 Jan. 2023
So sit back, relax, and fall asleep faster with these delectable delicacies.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 15 Dec. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'asleep.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Phrases Containing asleep
Dictionary Entries Near asleep
Cite this Entry
“Asleep.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/asleep. Accessed 8 Dec. 2023.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
More from Merriam-Webster on asleep
Nglish: Translation of asleep for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of asleep for Arabic Speakers
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share