sandman

noun

sand·​man ˈsan(d)-ˌman How to pronounce sandman (audio)
: a genie in folklore who makes children sleepy by sprinkling sand in their eyes
often used to personify sleep
trying to fight off the sandman

Examples of sandman in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Summer Christmas Notes of: surfing Santas, December sunscreen and frozen hot chocolate Surfboards instead of sleighs, sandmen instead of snowmen — thanks to the 23.44-degree tilt of Earth’s rotational axis, Christmas isn’t necessarily about being out in the cold. Frank Rojas Erik Carter, New York Times, 16 Dec. 2023 So, take the prescription for the sandman’s visit with a grain of salt. Sarah White, Discover Magazine, 24 July 2019 The titular sandman of the title is Morpheus, the supernatural being who goes more commonly by the name of Dream. Philip Ellis and Milan Polk, Men's Health, 7 June 2022 The claims haven’t changed in decades—lavender summons the sandman; peppermint peps you up—but modern manifestations are decidedly more luxe than those amber bottles at the health-food store. April Long, Marie Claire, 20 Feb. 2019 Marley and Me Avengers infinity war Two of the most depressing movies in this world — aka sandman (@MylesGAS) April 27, 2018 Disbelief and grief cloaked us like sweat. Jeneé Osterheldt, kansascity, 27 Apr. 2018 Sandman was third with 21 sailfish and won the Quest for the Crest as the top team over the four-tournament series. Steve Waters, Sun-Sentinel.com, 2 May 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sandman.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1835, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sandman was in 1835

Dictionary Entries Near sandman

Cite this Entry

“Sandman.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sandman. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sandman

noun
sand·​man ˈsan(d)-ˌman How to pronounce sandman (audio)
: the magical being of folklore who is said to make children sleepy by sprinkling sand in their eyes
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!