slumber

1 of 2

verb

slum·​ber ˈsləm-bər How to pronounce slumber (audio)
slumbered; slumbering ˈsləm-b(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce slumber (audio)

intransitive verb

1
a
: to sleep lightly : doze
b
: sleep
2
a
: to be in a torpid, slothful, or negligent state
b
: to lie dormant or latent
slumberer noun

slumber

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: sleep
b
: a light sleep
2

Examples of slumber in a Sentence

Verb she slumbered for hours while the train rolled on slumbering restlessly in the tropical heat Noun She fell into deep slumber. a toddler looking so innocent and peaceful in slumber
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Without a critical mass of successful new companies, the economy will continue to slumber, living standards will deteriorate, and voters could eventually unseat the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party, just as in 2009 when the party temporarily lost power in a landslide defeat. Richard Katz, Foreign Affairs, 31 Jan. 2024 The slumbering dragon awakened to the delight of hundreds as firecrackers exploded, cymbals clashed, and the percussive beat of drums reverberated throughout San Francisco’s Portsmouth Square. Ella Polak, The Mercury News, 14 Feb. 2024 Best Picture Up Oppenheimer The season’s slumbering colossus finally woke up. Vulture, 12 Jan. 2024 Neuroscientist Melanie Furrer of the University of Zurich and colleagues suspected that reindeer might simply sleep less during the short season, and then catch up on their Zs by slumbering away during the winter. Brian Handwerk, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Dec. 2023 All around me in the sultry darkness of a beautiful resort, many of the US intelligence community’s finest minds were also slumbering. Tamsin Shaw, The New York Review of Books, 18 Jan. 2024 The digger void is at the bottom of the silo where the drill that first dug the hole was left to slumber once its job was complete. Hunter Ingram, Variety, 19 Nov. 2023 In some cases, sleepers can even get into their cars and drive while technically still slumbering. Steve Nadis, Discover Magazine, 26 Nov. 2023 The public offerings of Arm Holdings, Instacart and Klaviyo were expected to deliver a big boost to the slumbering IPO market in September. Luisa Beltran, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2023
Noun
Oprah is a longtime fan of Cozy Earth’s home goods and loungewear — so don’t miss the 20 percent markdown on these ultra comfy pajamas that’ll be a go-to for spring and summer slumbers. Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 25 Mar. 2024 This true medium-firm Temper-Cloud Mattress from Tempur-Pedic has motion isolation so nothing will interrupt your slumber. Sarah Madaus, Allure, 14 Mar. 2024 Sleep Week is here — check out these ways to improve your slumber. USA TODAY, 11 Mar. 2024 Kentucky is one of 14 states expected to see Brood XIX emerge from their 13-year slumber. Joyce Orlando, The Courier-Journal, 19 Jan. 2024 When a family finally moves in in the present day, the electronic household helper Cassandra awakens from her decades-long slumber determined to use every single resource at her disposal to ensure she is never left alone again. Ed Meza, Variety, 13 Mar. 2024 Sood recently had a meal that anchored him into a 10-hour slumber. Travis M. Andrews, Washington Post, 12 Mar. 2024 Indeed, their responses range from complete indifference to feigning slumber to bemused bewilderment to outright hostility from a young blonde boy, who stands up and boos at song’s end. Spin Staff, SPIN, 25 Jan. 2024 Rainbow Bear follows the adorable journey of Little Bear, who awakes from his winter's slumber hungry. Sari Hitchins, Parents, 15 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'slumber.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English slomren, slombren, frequentative of slumen to doze, probably from slume slumber, from Old English slūma; akin to Middle High German slumen to slumber

First Known Use

Verb

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

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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

Dictionary Entries Near slumber

Cite this Entry

“Slumber.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slumber. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

slumber

1 of 2 verb
slum·​ber ˈsləm-bər How to pronounce slumber (audio)
slumbered; slumbering -b(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce slumber (audio)
1
: to sleep usually lightly
2
: to exist without being active
a slumbering volcano
slumberer noun

slumber

2 of 2 noun

More from Merriam-Webster on slumber

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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