Synonyms of sleep

sleep 1 of 2

noun

ˈslēp 

1

as in bed

a natural periodic loss of consciousness during which the body restores itself

neither of them has been getting much sleep since the baby was born

Synonyms & Similar Words

• bed
• slumber
• napping
• resting
• slumbering
• rest
• nap
• shut-eye
• dozing
• snoozing
• catnapping
• dreaming
• repose
• doze
• catnap
• drowse
• snooze
• siesta
• wink
• forty winks
• oversleeping
• z's
• rapid eye movement

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• consciousness
• wake
• wakefulness
• insomnia
• sleeplessness

2

as in death

the state of being dead

a grieving widower longing to join his beloved wife in her eternal sleep

Synonyms & Similar Words

• death
• dead
• mortality
• grave
• deadness
• nothingness
• lifelessness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• life
• existence
• immortality
• lifetime
• lifespan

3

as in fate

the permanent stopping of all the vital bodily activities

regretfully put their terminally ill dog to sleep

Synonyms & Similar Words

• death
• fate
• demise
• passing
• doom
• curtains
• grave
• exit
• dissolution
• decease
• passage
• end
• quietus
• expiration
• suicide
• expiry
• great divide
• destruction
• fatality
• assassination
• casualty
• execution
• martyrdom
• killing
• slaughter
• annihilation
• ending
• ruin
• extermination
• self-slaughter
• massacre
• self-destruction
• self-murder

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• birth
• life
• existence
• nativity
• rise
• creation
• genesis
• origination

sleep

2 of 2

verb

1

as in to rest

to be in a state of sleep

the baby slept for the entire length of the car trip

found the night watchman sleeping at his post

Synonyms & Similar Words

• rest
• nap
• slumber
• doze
• snooze
• dream
• catnap
• drop off
• sleep in
• oversleep
• nod off
• hibernate
• drowse (off)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rise
• arise
• wake
• awake
• arouse

2

as in to breed

to engage in sexual intercourse

if I don't read the tabloids, how will I know who is sleeping with whom this week?

Synonyms & Similar Words

• breed
• mate
• have sex
• copulate
• do it
• fornicate
• fool around

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sleep

Noun

Dirty suitcases can transport bacteria and viruses to your sacred sleep space. — Andrea Sachs, Washington Post, 2 Nov. 2026

Pack a blackout sleep mask just in case There’s nothing worse than finally crawling into your hotel bed after a long travel day, only to discover that the curtains don’t fully close and a streetlight is shining directly onto your pillow. — Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 1 Nov. 2026

Verb

Beneath that layer, a durable foam base provides stability, making the eight-inch mattress especially appealing to back and stomach sleepers who prefer sleeping on top of their bed rather than sinking into it. — Jacorey Moon, Architectural Digest, 7 Nov. 2026

The sleeping arrangements for the grad students at the Pico Trigaza hut [bottom] were spartan, but the views were first-rate. — IEEE Spectrum, 5 Nov. 2026

Phrases Containing sleep

• put to sleep