Synonyms of sleepiness

sleepiness 1 of 2

noun

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• drowsiness
• fatigue
• sleeping
• somnolence
• tiredness
• resting
• lethargy
• slumbering
• doziness
• weariness
• torpidity
• sluggishness
• torpor
• lassitude
• dozing
• oversleeping

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• insomnia
• consciousness
• wakefulness
• awareness
• sleeplessness

sleepy

2 of 2

adjective

ˈslē-pē 

1

as in sleeping

desiring or needing sleep

the sleepy children were carried up to bed

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sleeping
• resting
• drowsy
• somnolent
• slumberous
• dozy
• asleep
• dormant
• nodding
• slumbering
• dozing
• yawning

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• awake
• conscious
• alert
• wakeful
• wide-awake
• restless
• sleepless
• restive
• insomniac

2

as in dull

slow to move or act

a sleepy little town on the coast

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dull
• lazy
• motionless
• lethargic
• resting
• sluggish
• torpid
• inactive
• quiescent
• asleep
• inert
• drugged
• dormant
• static
• listless
• dead
• still
• indolent
• apathetic
• shiftless
• drowsy
• languorous
• slothful
• sedentary
• slack
• dopey
• ambitionless
• inanimate
• comatose
• lazyish
• sluggard
• catatonic
• sluggardly
• somnambulant

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• active
• busy
• engaged
• occupied
• working
• energetic
• dynamic
• spirited
• lively
• vigorous
• vivacious
• vital
• kinetic
• animated
• sprightly
• bouncing
• industrious
• perky
• hardworking
• diligent
• peppy
• assiduous
• springy
• zippy
• sedulous

3

as in hypnotic

tending to cause sleep

the sleepy drone of his voice made staying awake a challenge

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hypnotic
• drowsy
• soporific
• opiate
• soothing
• somnolent
• narcotic
• hypnotizing
• slumberous
• quieting
• somniferous
• sedative
• relaxing
• depressant
• comforting
• restful
• relaxant
• settling
• calming
• dulling
• tranquilizing
• anesthetic
• analgesic
• deadening
• lulling
• stupefying
• benumbing
• numbing
• mesmerizing
• anesthetizing
• pacifying

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• stimulant
• waking
• stimulating
• rousing
• arousing
• energizing
• refreshing
• awakening
• bracing
• reviving
• restorative
• invigorating
• stimulative
• wakening
• stimulatory

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• slow
• dead
• vacant
• comatose
• idle
• sluggish
• dormant
• lethargic
• torpid
• inactive
• off
• inert
• free
• latent
• fallow
• inoperative

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• busy
• bustling
• lively
• vibrant
• alive
• humming
• thriving
• animated
• flourishing
• buzzing
• astir
• teeming
• swarming
• overflowing
• abounding
• thronging

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sleepiness

Noun

The benefits of an early nap can wear off too early in the day, leading to afternoon sleepiness. — Heidi Moawad, Verywell Health, 21 July 2026

Melatonin the hormone released at night that triggers sleepiness also declines with age, and perimenopause brings a significant drop that makes sound sleep harder to come by. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 17 July 2026

Adjective

Current therapies, stimulants and sodium oxybates, carry risk of misuse, and patients still feel sleepy while taking them. — Ed Silverman, STAT, 6 Aug. 2026

SpaceX employs about 5,000 people directly in the Brownsville region and has transformed a sleepy border area into an aerospace powerhouse. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 3 Aug. 2026