1
: one that sleeps
2
: a piece of timber, stone, or steel on or near the ground to support a superstructure, keep railroad rails in place, or receive floor joists : stringpiece
3
4
: someone or something unpromising or unnoticed that suddenly attains prominence or value
the low-budget film became the summer's sleeper
5
: children's pajamas usually with feet
—usually used in plural
6
chiefly British
: a small earring or stud worn to keep the hole of a pierced ear from closing
Examples of sleeper in a Sentence
Sleepers were awakened by the sound of a loud crash.
He may turn out to be the sleeper in this year's election.
The movie was the summer's sleeper.
The movie became the sleeper hit of the summer.
Recent Examples on the Web
The Serta Durango convertible sleeper has dual coils, and pocketed high-quality springs for extra comfort.
—
Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 22 Jan. 2026
Everley is actually a great sleeper.
—Brianne Tracy, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
From Breaking Bad to Fight Club, the misinterpretation of media that skewers the male power fantasy is well established, and the long-gestating HBO sleeper hit Industry, now in its senior season, is no exception to the literacy crisis.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 19 Jan. 2026
The brand lightened up the lightweight fill, so there’s a clearer difference between the lightweight fill and the other options—a win for hot sleepers.
—Jamie Weissman, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sleeper
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Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 22 Jan. 2026
Everley is actually a great sleeper.
—Brianne Tracy, PEOPLE, 21 Jan. 2026
From Breaking Bad to Fight Club, the misinterpretation of media that skewers the male power fantasy is well established, and the long-gestating HBO sleeper hit Industry, now in its senior season, is no exception to the literacy crisis.
—Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 19 Jan. 2026
The brand lightened up the lightweight fill, so there’s a clearer difference between the lightweight fill and the other options—a win for hot sleepers.
—Jamie Weissman, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sleeper
Cite this Entry
“Sleeper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sleeper. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sleeper
noun
sleep·er
ˈslē-pər 
1
: one that sleeps
2
: a horizontal beam to support something on or near ground level
3
4
: someone or something considered unlikely to succeed that suddenly becomes successful
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