Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

sleepy

adjective

Synonyms and Antonyms of sleepy

1 desiring or needing sleep

  • the sleepy children were carried up to bed
Synonyms of sleepy

dozy, drowsy, slumberous (or slumbrous), somnolent
Words Related to sleepy

asleep, dormant, dozing, resting, sleeping, slumbering

nodding, yawning
Near Antonyms of sleepy

restive, restless, sleepless

insomniac
Antonyms of sleepy

alert, awake, conscious, wakeful, wide-awake

2 slow to move or act

  • a sleepy little town on the coast
Synonyms of sleepy

dull, inactive, inert, lethargic, quiescent, sluggish, torpid
Words Related to sleepy

ambitionless, apathetic, indolent, languorous, lazy, lazyish, listless, shiftless, slack, slothful, sluggard, sluggardly

dormant, inanimate, motionless, resting, sedentary, static, still

dead

dopey (also dopy), drugged

asleep, drowsy, somnambulant

catatonic, comatose
Near Antonyms of sleepy

busy, engaged, occupied, working

animated, bouncing, dynamic, energetic, kinetic, lively, peppy, perky, spirited, sprightly, springy, vigorous, vital, vivacious, zippy

assiduous, diligent, hardworking, industrious, sedulous
Antonyms of sleepy

active

3 tending to cause sleep

  • the sleepy drone of his voice made staying awake a challenge
Synonyms of sleepy

drowsy, hypnotic, narcotic, opiate, slumberous (or slumbrous), somniferous, somnolent, soporific
Words Related to sleepy

depressant, relaxant, sedative, tranquilizing (also tranquillizing)

calming, comforting, lulling, pacifying, quieting, relaxing, restful, settling, soothing

analgesic, anesthetic, anesthetizing, benumbing, deadening, dulling, numbing

hypnotizing, mesmerizing, stupefying
Near Antonyms of sleepy

arousing, awakening, energizing, invigorating, rousing, stimulating, wakening, waking

bracing, refreshing, restorative, reviving, stimulative, stimulatory
Antonyms of sleepy

stimulant

4 lacking in gaiety, movement, or animation

  • a sleepy party that was mostly attended by the same boring people I work with
Synonyms of sleepy

comatose, dead, slow
Words Related to sleepy

lethargic, sluggish, torpid

dormant, fallow, free, idle, inactive, inert, inoperative, latent, off, vacant
Near Antonyms of sleepy

abounding, overflowing, swarming, teeming, thronging
Antonyms of sleepy

alive, animated, astir, bustling, busy, buzzing, flourishing, humming, lively, thriving, vibrant

Learn More about sleepy

  1. See words that rhyme with sleepy Dictionary: Definition of sleepy Medical Dictionary: Definition of sleepy Spanish Central: Translation of sleepy Nglish: Translation of sleepy for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of sleepy for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up sleepy? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

memento

something that serves to warn or remind

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. gaslight It is a word, though.

  2. invasion CNN reporter questions President.

  3. relevancy Ariana Grande slams ex-fiancé.

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games