Synonyms of sleeping

sleeping 1 of 3

adjective

as in asleep

being in a state of suspended consciousness

a roomful of sleeping preschoolers at a daycare center

Synonyms & Similar Words

• asleep
• resting
• napping
• dormant
• at rest
• dozing
• slumbering
• dreaming
• nodding
• drowsy
• sleepy
• somnolent
• comatose
• slumberous
• sleepwalking
• hypnotized
• semiconscious
• reposing
• somnambulant
• mesmerized

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• awake
• sleepless
• wakeful
• aware
• wide-awake
• conscious
• sleepless
• up
• aroused
• awakened
• revived
• wakened
• roused
• astir
• reawakened

sleeping

2 of 3

noun

as in resting

Related Words

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

Dissimilar Words

• insomnia
• consciousness
• wakefulness
• awareness
• sleeplessness

sleeping

3 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

• resting
• napping
• dozing
• dreaming
• snoozing
• slumbering
• catnapping
• dropping off
• sleeping in
• hibernating
• nodding off
• drowsing (off)
• oversleeping

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• waking
• rising
• arising
• arousing
• awaking

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

• breeding
• mating
• doing it
• having sex
• copulating
• fornicating
• fooling around

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sleeping

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

Noun

Beyond the basics like comfortable clothing and sturdy hiking shoes, campers often need tents, sleeping bags, camp chairs, lanterns, and coolers to stay comfortable outdoors. — Kaitlin Marks, Travel + Leisure, 3 Sep. 2026

Positioned above the bathroom and downstairs bedroom, it's accessed by some steps and looks large enough to be used either as a secondary sleeping space for guests or as a storage area. — New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026

While both the primary and secondary suites live on the main level, an ascending staircase leads you up to a dedicated workspace and additional sleeping accommodations courtesy of a sleeper sofa. — Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 1 Sep. 2026

The extra room doesn’t showcase a single feature, but is distributed across a larger sleeping area, additional storage and more open space around the seat. — Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 2026

More than 200 of its sailors were receiving treatment for smoke inhalation, a result of a laundry room fire that spread through the ventilation system into the carrier’s sleeping quarters. — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 27 Aug. 2026

No matter your sleeping style, there’s an option below that fits your needs, with prices starting at just $220. — Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026

Sleeping Accessories Blankets, sleeping bags, and pillows are all must-haves for a storm shelter. — Maria Sabella, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Aug. 2026

People come and go from the bedroom; one woman cradles a sleeping toddler. — Audrey Dutton, ProPublica, 25 Aug. 2026

Verb

Of course there is a fire risk associated with sleeping rough, but most encampment fires start in dense neighborhoods like Skid Row. — Maggie McGowan, The New York Review of Books, 5 Sep. 2026

Best Gear Deals From sleeping comfortably under the stars to enjoying a hot cup of coffee at sunrise, the right gear can elevate any camping trip, and REI’s sale is packed with worthwhile upgrades. — Kaitlin Marks, Travel + Leisure, 3 Sep. 2026

Inside, in what is normally a sports hall, hundreds of people are sleeping overnight on trestle beds. — Emma Burrows, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026

An attorney for Lewis’ family has said body-camera footage appears to show Anderson firing within a second of opening the bedroom door where Lewis was sleeping. — ABC News, 3 Sep. 2026

After examining her, the doctor recommended that our daughter wear a steel brace when sleeping. — The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 3 Sep. 2026

Earlier observational work has suggested painful hemorrhoids can disrupt rest, and some studies have found that people sleeping fewer than six hours nightly report more pain, bleeding and swelling. — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Sep. 2026

Krinberg says that if a mattress is flippable, both sides will be designed for sleeping. — Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 3 Sep. 2026

Nothing will keep you from sleeping or distract you from studying like itchy bug bites or the constant sneezing and drippy nose of seasonal allergies. — Dr. Jill Grimes, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026