1
as in sleeping
desiring or needing sleep
the sleepy children were carried up to bed
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2
as in dull
slow to move or act
a sleepy little town on the coast
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3
as in hypnotic
tending to cause sleep
the sleepy drone of his voice made staying awake a challenge
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4
as in slow
lacking in gaiety, movement, or animation
a sleepy party that was mostly attended by the same boring people I work with
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sleepy
The sleepy town offers an escape from the desert, with giant pines and green landscapes.
—
Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 7 Oct. 2025
The scandal has jolted the somewhat sleepy Virginia statewide races as Democrats hope to flip the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the attorney general seats.
—Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 7 Oct. 2025
Most days are quiet in Armenia’s sleepy southern province of Syunik.
—Michele Crestani, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
The series followed Andy Griffith as Sheriff Andy Taylor, Don Knotts as his sleepy deputy Barney Fife and Ron Howard as Andy’s son Opie.
—Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sleepy
Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 7 Oct. 2025
The scandal has jolted the somewhat sleepy Virginia statewide races as Democrats hope to flip the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the attorney general seats.
—Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 7 Oct. 2025
Most days are quiet in Armenia’s sleepy southern province of Syunik.
—Michele Crestani, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
The series followed Andy Griffith as Sheriff Andy Taylor, Don Knotts as his sleepy deputy Barney Fife and Ron Howard as Andy’s son Opie.
—Victoria Edel, PEOPLE, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sleepy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleepy
Adjective
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Transform your bathroom into a mini spa with the best Prime Day beauty devices, designed to target everything from stubborn hair, dull skin, barrier health, and more.—
Jenny Berg,
Vogue,
8 Oct. 2025
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While each of these events is fun and amps up the excitement around Halloween, one has to wonder if all the lead-up really does is dull the finale.—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Stephen depicts the women’s schooltime bond in hypnotic flashbacks, and their separation largely through absence itself, with gliding, pensive shots of places—rooms, buildings, streets—where the women have been and may be again but which, onscreen, are vacant.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
2 Oct. 2025
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The first video work in the series, Ready Mix, 2021, follows the strangely hypnotic rumble of cement production at an Idaho mixing plant, from sand to finished block.—
Anne Reeve,
Artforum,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Losing is so deeply ingrained in the fabric of this franchise that every slow start has the potential to snowball.—
Matthew Fairburn,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
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His administration has seen some success; inflation in Argentina eased this year to the slowest monthly pace in more than four years.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
12 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Taking minoxidil orally can support the hair follicle cycle and trigger anagen (the resting phase) prematurely.—
Jessie Quinn,
Flow Space,
23 Sep. 2025
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During the resting phase, hair stops growing and will shed, or fall out.—
Jessica Swirble,
Verywell Health,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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Meanwhile, the room service menu, which blended everything from soups and sandwiches to expansive plates, was a great option for breakfast in bed or a lazy lunch.—
Victoria Uwumarogie,
Essence,
10 Oct. 2025
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The action itself may feel lazy, but the result is trouble-free, straightforward cool.—
Cortne Bonilla,
Vogue,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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There’s nothing quite as soothing as the drowsy calmness that washes over you when your partner runs their hands through your hair.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
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The DeWine administration cited driver safety as a catalyst for the project: officials noted that truck drivers who can't find a parking spot are known to drive drowsy or pull over to sleep in unsafe areas.—
Annie Goldman,
The Enquirer,
31 July 2025
Adjective
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Lewis was briefly motionless and was carted off after being attended to for about 10 minutes this past Saturday.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
8 Oct. 2025
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Her bright white legs stood out starkly against the boat, looking almost motionless in the frame.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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For decades, unflattering stereotypes of gamers as lethargic young men engaging in an isolating hobby have persevered in popular culture.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
8 Oct. 2025
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Unfortunately, the infectious energy of the scare zone gets completely lost in the lethargic and drowsy maze.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sleepy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleepy. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
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