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
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 Moon in your sleepy 12th house is teaming up with aggressive Mars at the same degree, which could leave you spinning your wheels and unsure what to do.
—
Tarot Astrologers, Chicago Tribune, 16 Sep. 2023
While the vivid sense of place is that of a sleepy winter in a summer town, there’s a suggestion that for Alice, inertia is not seasonal.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Sep. 2023
Southern California certainly has its fair share of impressive estates, but this $29 million home in sleepy Rancho Santa Fe, California, about 25 miles north of San Diego, offers resort-like amenities on a tranquil 14-acre parcel.
—Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 11 Sep. 2023
Found in a sleepy Dutch village On a frosty Tuesday morning this past January, heavily armed police descended on a row house in Arkel, a Dutch village of just over 3,400 residents.
—Mick Krever, CNN, 5 Sep. 2023
Just like humans, dogs can become relaxed and sleepy due to the calming properties of CBD.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 30 Aug. 2023
The research indicated that activating a certain type of brain cell could keep the creatures awake for extended periods of time—without the mice getting sleepy.
—Jackie Appel, Popular Mechanics, 21 Aug. 2023
Related Utopia leads a sleepy top 10 on the Billboard 200, which is absent of any debuts in the region for the second time in less than a month.
—Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 13 Aug. 2023
Your ruler, the unitive Moon, is soothing your sleepy 12th house.
—Tarot Astrologers, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2023
See More
Tarot Astrologers, Chicago Tribune, 16 Sep. 2023
While the vivid sense of place is that of a sleepy winter in a summer town, there’s a suggestion that for Alice, inertia is not seasonal.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Sep. 2023
Southern California certainly has its fair share of impressive estates, but this $29 million home in sleepy Rancho Santa Fe, California, about 25 miles north of San Diego, offers resort-like amenities on a tranquil 14-acre parcel.
—Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 11 Sep. 2023
Found in a sleepy Dutch village On a frosty Tuesday morning this past January, heavily armed police descended on a row house in Arkel, a Dutch village of just over 3,400 residents.
—Mick Krever, CNN, 5 Sep. 2023
Just like humans, dogs can become relaxed and sleepy due to the calming properties of CBD.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 30 Aug. 2023
The research indicated that activating a certain type of brain cell could keep the creatures awake for extended periods of time—without the mice getting sleepy.
—Jackie Appel, Popular Mechanics, 21 Aug. 2023
Related Utopia leads a sleepy top 10 on the Billboard 200, which is absent of any debuts in the region for the second time in less than a month.
—Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 13 Aug. 2023
Your ruler, the unitive Moon, is soothing your sleepy 12th house.
—Tarot Astrologers, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2023
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sleepy.' 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
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Time Traveler
The first known use of sleepy was
in the 13th century
Dictionary Entries Near sleepy
Cite this Entry
“Sleepy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sleepy. Accessed 28 Sep. 2023.
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More from Merriam-Webster on sleepy
Nglish: Translation of sleepy for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of sleepy for Arabic Speakers
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