sleepier; sleepiest
Synonyms of sleepynext
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.
That had Wade back on his own podcast Wednesday making his feelings known, with nothing sleepy about his enthusiasm, appreciation and respect. Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 12 Mar. 2026 Offensive philosophy The Warriors chucked up 52 3-pointers (and made just 16) on Monday in Utah, a puzzlingly high number considering the Jazz’s interior defense generally provides as much resistance as a sleepy puppy. Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2026 If this were to occur, the Atlantic hurricane season could be sleepier than usual, since El Niño’s tend to be accompanied by stronger wind shear over the tropical Atlantic Ocean. Andrew Freedman, CNN Money, 10 Mar. 2026 Perched next to a chicken cookie jar on a shelf at The Market Place, an antique store in East Durham, about 2 hours from Manhattan, was a sleepy Eastern Screech Owl catching a snooze. Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026 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 15 Mar. 2026.

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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