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 adverb
sleepiness noun

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The facility, located in the sleepy village of Corgemont, Switzerland—about an hour’s drive from Bern—doesn’t immediately strike you as the sort of place that would determine world records. Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 29 Oct. 2025 Had the New York Jets not rallied for their first win of the 2025 season against Joe Flacco and the zombie version of the Cincinnati Bengals, the early window would have been equally sleepy. Chris Bumbaca, USA Today, 27 Oct. 2025 Better check behind every bush and tree, because this movie will convince you every sleepy suburb is a slaughterhouse in the making. Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025 In the quiet village of Mount Prospect, nestled just northwest of Chicago’s city limits, residents were sheltering from the cold and rain on a sleepy Sunday afternoon watching TV, scrolling through social media and enjoying midday coffee at home. Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sleepy

Word History

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of sleepy was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sleepy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sleepy. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

sleepy

adjective
sleepier; sleepiest
1
: ready to fall asleep
2
: quietly inactive
a sleepy village
sleepily adverb
sleepiness noun

Medical Definition

sleepy

adjective
sleepier; sleepiest
: ready to fall asleep
sleepiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on sleepy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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