sleepy

adjective

ˈslē-pē 

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

sleepily

ˈslē-pə-lē 

adverb

sleepiness

ˈslē-pē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of sleepy

• sleeping
• resting
• drowsy

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

The campaign had been mostly sleepy until Pratt, who has his own extensive Hollywood ties, put in a solid debate performance on live television. —Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026

Sunday at the Charles Schwab Challenge was a bit sleepy, but then Russell Henley woke up in a rather aggressive mood. —Mark Harris Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 June 2026

Williams has a special fondness for Saint-Tropez, which French film star Brigitte Bardot famously transformed from a sleepy fishing village to a magnet for jetsetters. —Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 31 May 2026

Children with the virus may be fussy and sleepy throughout the day, and cry without tears. —Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 29 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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

Rhymes for sleepy

• creepy
• principe

Kids Definition

sleepy

adjective

ˈslē-pē 

sleepier; sleepiest

1

: ready to fall asleep

2

: quietly inactive

a sleepy village

sleepily

-pə-lē 

adverb

sleepiness

-pē-nəs 

noun

Medical Definition

sleepy

adjective

ˈslē-pē 

sleepier; sleepiest

: ready to fall asleep

sleepiness

-pē-nəs 

noun