sleeping 1 of 3

sleeping

2 of 3

verb

present participle of sleep
1
as in napping
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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in breeding
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

sleeping

3 of 3

noun

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 sleeping
Adjective
Boasting a nearly 78-inch-wide desk beneath the sleeping loft, this bed frame is great for those in school or who want a dedicated space to craft, work, or game. Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 10 Sep. 2025 Babies may not be known for their great sleeping habits, but the right bassinet sheet can make a huge difference. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 9 Sep. 2025 TikTok viewers were quick to share their own pets' quirky sleeping habits. Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025 Court documents report that the murder was related to Lee’s sleeping medication, which she was prescribed when her husband’s health declined, RNZ reported. Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025 One camp might have moldy walls and machinery stored inches from a sleeping area. David Rodriguez Muñoz, Freep.com, 7 Sep. 2025 Create a routine, but be flexible Sticking to a routine can help create and maintain healthy sleeping habits, Golshevksy says. Tom Huddleston Jr., CNBC, 7 Sep. 2025 Given this relatively empty space, Soundcore can shape the market around its own research and beliefs in what sleeping buds could and should be doing. Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025 The tent roof lifts directly up, and floor extension panels on either side automatically fold out to expand the sleeping area and give the tent a trapezoidal prism shape in place of the common cube. New Atlas, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
Earlier this year, Black celebrated the birth of another son, who was sleeping peacefully at home as Black recounted his story. Cara Anthony, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025 There is no headboard, but when placed against a wall or in a corner, there’s still plenty of space to lean and lounge when not sleeping. Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 11 Sep. 2025 The city of Grants Pass, Oregon, had punished people using camping paraphernalia like blankets or pillows while sleeping outside. Idaho Statesman, 11 Sep. 2025 It’s made from 100% cotton and is ideal for all kinds of sleeping climates, although quilts are particularly great for hot sleepers year-round. Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Sep. 2025 Desmond’s plan could include statistics about the size of the population sleeping outside, the number of individuals entering treatment programs and how often county staffers contacted homeless residents. Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Sep. 2025 Not for the teams, but for Spartans fans who have to choose between missing their team play and not sleeping. Stewart Mandel, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025 Of the participants, 16 percent reported chronic insomnia, defined as difficulty sleeping at least three nights a week for three months or more. Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025 One of my clearest memories from the early 1970s is visiting relatives and sleeping on a pull-out couch in their library. Literary Hub september 4, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleeping
Adjective
  • Downstairs, at the other end of the house, the kids were asleep in their beds, and Lacey was all the way across town in the hospital with their new brother.
    T. Coraghessan Boyle, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2025
  • While most people are fast asleep, one mother is already up and about—and her unusual morning schedule has gone viral on Instagram.
    Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • CFMoto is not resting on its laurels, having just recently revealed its first-ever inline-four sports motorcycle.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The visible-light photo, taken by one of Maxar Technologies' WorldView Legion satellites orbiting at an altitude of 312 miles (518 kilometers), shows what appears to be a fleet of fighter jets resting on the ramp adjacent to the runway surrounded by brown, arid soil.
    Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • And the American redstart — a jetblack little fellow with orange splashes — pretty much stopped breeding here in the early 2000s.
    Ari Daniel, NPR, 10 Sep. 2025
  • They’re spotted foraging on golf courses and even breeding in suburban wetlands near Chicago.
    Tom Langen, The Conversation, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Though his record was overtaken, Maru maintained a devoted following on his channel, Mugumogu — with nearly 900,000 subscribers — where curious minds will find clips of Maru napping, wearing costumes, and routinely diving into cardboard boxes.
    Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Time your packing – Box up belongings while your pup is on a walk or napping.
    Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The disease spreads in koala populations through reproduction and social behavior connected to mating.
    Amy Woodyatt, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The colony quickly descended into indiscriminate violence, stopped mating, and died out.
    Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Often when faced with a trauma, a redwood will swell a bank of dormant buds and woody tissue to create burls.
    Greg Sullivan, AFAR Media, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Note that plants go dormant in areas that experience hard freezes.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 15 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Sleeping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleeping. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

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