ASLEEP Synonyms: 99 Similar and Opposite Words

asleep

adjective

ə-ˈslēp

Definition of asleep

as in sleeping

being in a state of suspended consciousness was sound asleep when the earthquake struck

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

as in fallen

no longer living let us pray for those who are now asleep

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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 Like Harvey, Williams was asleep when she was awakened by a phone call from her husband, who was out of town. — Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026 The call for a probe follows the publication of videos appearing to show drivers asleep behind the wheel. — Keith Laing, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026 In this study, researchers found the heart muscle walls of people exposed to more than 3 lux of light while asleep thickened in ways that reduced the efficiency of the heart’s pumping action. — Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2026 The passenger was reportedly asleep when a fiancé said something about what was going on. — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 9 Sep. 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

Definition of sleeping

Adjective

On one Anderson sack late in the first quarter, Allen kicked his feet in agony and later revealed the hit made his left arm go numb.

— Tim Graham, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
When the old man dies, her numb reaction appears caught between grief and relief, though her two adult sons show little understanding of her emotional state.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of numb

Adjective

The incident caused street closures for a second day as crews worked to remove the fallen rig, impacting local businesses in the area.

— Manuel Bojorquez, CBS News, 15 Sep. 2026
Plus, Vallejo toasts all barrels with fallen oak gathered from the estate to ensure a 100% local identity.

— Mark Johanson, Travel + Leisure, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of fallen

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

Definition of resting

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

Definition of numbed

Adjective

The passenger, later identified as Daria Serkov, sustained severe trauma to the body and was pronounced dead.

— Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 21 Sep. 2026
Two people were shot and one is dead after an overnight shooting in Lauderdale Lakes, the Broward Sheriff’s Office said.

— David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of dead

Adjective

Most of the money is from dormant accounts in financial institutions, insurance and utility companies, and securities and trust holdings, according to the Florida Department of Financial Services.

— Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 17 Sep. 2026
Fried adds that bare-root plants are typically shipped or sold wrapped in moist sawdust during their dormant seasons in the spring or fall to ensure optimal planting outcomes.

— SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of dormant

Adjective

Brain donations from deceased football players have risen in recent years, prompting researchers to take a fresh look at the risk and extent of CTE with respect to dementia diagnoses.

— Mike McRae September 15, New Atlas, 15 Sep. 2026
Ploger's parents -- his father is retired and his mother, Marguerite, is deceased -- were originally from Owosso.

— Sheryl Lee, Freep.com, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of deceased

Browse Nearby Words

aslant

asleep

as like as not

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“Asleep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/asleep. Accessed 21 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of asleep

adjective

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