as in drowsiness
the quality or state of desiring or needing sleep
the truck driver keeps a thermos of coffee with him to stave off sleepiness
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Recent Examples of sleepiness
Symptoms include decreased urination, dry mouth and throat, feeling dizzy when standing up, crying with few or no tears, and unusual sleepiness or fussiness.
—
Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 10 Mar. 2026
Boost Energy and Alertness Taking a walk in the morning has been associated with lower daytime sleepiness and improved alertness during the day.
—Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 20 Feb. 2026
At higher doses, kratom reduces anxiety and causes sleepiness, the way strong pain drugs like opioids (heroin or fentanyl) do.
—Gary Kirkilas Ii, Boston Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
The participants were scored on subjective sleepiness (Karolinska Sleepiness Scale), sustained attention (Psychomotor Vigilance Task), working memory (three-back task) and visual search performance.
—New Atlas, 17 Jan. 2026
Your balloon fills up with sleepiness throughout the day.
—Andee Tagle, NPR, 15 Jan. 2026
In a clinical study of tradipitant, side effects were infrequent and mild, with a small percent of users reporting sleepiness and fatigue.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 8 Jan. 2026
Ounce for ounce, turkey contains less tryptophan—an amino acid popularly blamed for post-Thanksgiving sleepiness—than cheddar cheese or an octopus does.
—The Atlantic Science Desk, The Atlantic, 27 Dec. 2025
Studies showed that some women experienced side effects including dizziness, sleepiness and nausea, and less than 2% had to discontinue Addyi because of them.
—Alice Park, Time, 16 Dec. 2025
Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 10 Mar. 2026
Boost Energy and Alertness Taking a walk in the morning has been associated with lower daytime sleepiness and improved alertness during the day.
—Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 20 Feb. 2026
At higher doses, kratom reduces anxiety and causes sleepiness, the way strong pain drugs like opioids (heroin or fentanyl) do.
—Gary Kirkilas Ii, Boston Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
The participants were scored on subjective sleepiness (Karolinska Sleepiness Scale), sustained attention (Psychomotor Vigilance Task), working memory (three-back task) and visual search performance.
—New Atlas, 17 Jan. 2026
Your balloon fills up with sleepiness throughout the day.
—Andee Tagle, NPR, 15 Jan. 2026
In a clinical study of tradipitant, side effects were infrequent and mild, with a small percent of users reporting sleepiness and fatigue.
—Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 8 Jan. 2026
Ounce for ounce, turkey contains less tryptophan—an amino acid popularly blamed for post-Thanksgiving sleepiness—than cheddar cheese or an octopus does.
—The Atlantic Science Desk, The Atlantic, 27 Dec. 2025
Studies showed that some women experienced side effects including dizziness, sleepiness and nausea, and less than 2% had to discontinue Addyi because of them.
—Alice Park, Time, 16 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleepiness
Noun
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Geriatricians say the amount of older adults who've died from falls have tripled in the last three decades, and two thirds of the fatal falls were linked to prescription pills that caused drowsiness and impaired balance.—
Jennifer Bisram,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
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Songs deemed too slow These songs are under 80 BPM, in the range researchers say can yield drowsiness over time.—
Howard Cohen,
Miami Herald,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
But for activities that involve roughly 90 minutes of continuous effort, according to Fray, rapid carbohydrate and electrolyte delivery can help delay fatigue.—
Marisa McMillan,
Outside,
14 Mar. 2026
-
The wheels fell off in the game’s final minutes, with the Bulls’ lead ballooning to as many as 25 points and capitalizing on Charlotte’s fatigue.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In her closet were seven Ungaros, three Rykiels, a Kamali bathing suit and a Kamali sleeping-bag coat, five Kenzo dresses, two pieces from the Ballets Russes collection of Saint Laurent—all of which were trades or payments in kind, none of them mothballed, but instead worn ostentatiously and often.—
Han Ong,
New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2026
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Bedroom furniture should suit your personality as much as your sleeping habits.—
Erika Owen,
Architectural Digest,
13 Mar. 2026
Noun
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From there, the story builds on the uncertainty, rocking the somnolence of a small town in the province of Badajoz, and forcing a community to choose between disbelief and the need to prove what can’t be seen.—
Emiliano De Pablos,
Variety,
9 Feb. 2026
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The people went to the emergency department with tachycardia, confusion, anxiety or somnolence, and nausea after eating gummy candies labeled as containing Amanita muscaria mushrooms.—
Beth Mole,
Ars Technica,
19 July 2024
Cite this Entry
“Sleepiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleepiness. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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