1
as in sleeping
being in a state of suspended consciousness
was sound asleep when the earthquake struck
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in numb
lacking in sensation or feeling
after sitting cross-legged all afternoon, I arose only to discover that my right foot was asleep
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in fallen
no longer living
let us pray for those who are now asleep
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of asleep
Some nights after our son is asleep, my wife and I sit on the couch and reconstruct the day for each other.
—
Tim Requarth, Longreads, 9 Apr. 2026
The ability to fall back asleep is impressive actually.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 8 Apr. 2026
My 13-year-old is finally asleep.
—Liz Koch, STAT, 6 Apr. 2026
The Masters champ sought help in 2017 after his first DUI arrest, also in the Jupiter are after police found Woods asleep at the wheel in a running car.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for asleep
Tim Requarth, Longreads, 9 Apr. 2026
The ability to fall back asleep is impressive actually.
—Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 8 Apr. 2026
My 13-year-old is finally asleep.
—Liz Koch, STAT, 6 Apr. 2026
The Masters champ sought help in 2017 after his first DUI arrest, also in the Jupiter are after police found Woods asleep at the wheel in a running car.
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for asleep
Recent Examples of Synonyms for asleep
Adjective
-
An autopsy showed that the infant died from asphyxiation secondary to a co-sleeping/overlay event with an unsafe sleeping environment.—
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The passengers, including me, sat stoically in the dark, tired and numb.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
However numb fans are to the business of seemingly every level of sport, including third-grade kickball, seeing Schloss in a Texas uniform at Blue Bell Park is not going to go over well.—
Mac Engel
April 8,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Brian Dennehy embodied him as a kind of fallen giant, a weary figure worn down on the turntable of life.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Keeping in mind the teams wrap up the series Wednesday afternoon at Fenway, the Red Sox should be extremely grateful to get out of Tuesday’s game without needing to pull Contreras off some fallen Brewer.—
Steve Buckley,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
That’s because when the body experiences physical stress, including losing weight quickly, more hairs can shift into a resting phase and fall out a few months later — typically two to three months after the event, Rossi explains.—
Tom Gavin,
EverydayHealth.com,
17 Feb. 2026
-
This is a condition where, due to stress or hormonal changes, the body puts the hair follicles into a resting phase.—
Essence,
Essence,
19 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
When Bill’s older brother Henry (Barry Ward) finds the pianist in numbed solitude in his dingy apartment, Bill has canceled all his upcoming gigs, saying Scotty cannot be replaced.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Ingber also notes the numbed response to these strikes from much of the American public, something that, in part, may come from the routine nature of these drone strikes as something that the nation has become desensitized to dropping bombs on enemies.—
Rebecca Schneid,
Time,
21 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
For whatever sprinkling of sociopathy that Quinn might have, seeing her dead best friend’s daughter, who looks just like her best friend, standing in front of her cracks through a little bit.—
Max Gao,
Variety,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Dust mites, dead skin cells, sweat buildup and allergens accumulate over months, affecting your sleep quality and potentially triggering sneezing and congestion.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But when the Chinese government outlawed private tutoring in 2021, Q Kids went dormant.—
Kathy Kristof,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Encephalitis can also lay dormant, with Edwards never having a cold sore herself, the outlet added.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
An adult male was found deceased, and officers located the child inside a bathroom at the airport, the outlets reported, citing authorities.—
Samira Asma-Sadeque,
PEOPLE,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Over the last 20 or so years he has been estranged off and on from various family members, including our parents (now deceased), his children and me.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Denver Post,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Asleep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/asleep. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
