1
as in sleeping
desiring or needing sleep
the sleepy children were carried up to bed
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dull
slow to move or act
a sleepy little town on the coast
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3
as in hypnotic
tending to cause sleep
the sleepy drone of his voice made staying awake a challenge
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sleepy
As a result, night owls are more likely to feel sleepy upon waking.
—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
19 June 2026
Fronting the Chesapeake Bay, this once-sleepy beach town with stately Victorian houses is transformed from its days as a former railroad hub to a small-town vacation destination.
—
Valerie Fraser Luesse,
Southern Living,
16 June 2026
At some point, sleepy teenagers make their way into the kitchen, lured by the aroma of whatever their mom has decided to bake before dawn.
—
Julie Jordan,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 June 2026
Ferries make regular runs to the sleepy island community located 40 or so miles off the coast of the New England mainland — weather permitting, of course.
—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for sleepy
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
19 June 2026
Fronting the Chesapeake Bay, this once-sleepy beach town with stately Victorian houses is transformed from its days as a former railroad hub to a small-town vacation destination.
—
Valerie Fraser Luesse,
Southern Living,
16 June 2026
At some point, sleepy teenagers make their way into the kitchen, lured by the aroma of whatever their mom has decided to bake before dawn.
—
Julie Jordan,
Better Homes & Gardens,
16 June 2026
Ferries make regular runs to the sleepy island community located 40 or so miles off the coast of the New England mainland — weather permitting, of course.
—
Keith Phipps,
Vulture,
15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for sleepy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleepy
Adjective
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An autopsy showed that the infant died from asphyxiation secondary to a co-sleeping/overlay event with an unsafe sleeping environment.
Adjective
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Besides toning color, this shampoo acts as a gentle clarifier, removing product buildup from the roots and hair that can make your hair appear dull and greasy.
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The practical step is small and dull, which feels about right.
Adjective
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There’s something hypnotic and ritualistic in it, something that can become almost shamanic, almost therapeutic — like a sound bath.
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Instrumental rock music of the kind Horse Lords make—hypnotic, hyper-focused, complex—usually carries a whiff of manifesto, offering a map toward transcendence of some political, metaphysical, or pick-your-variety kind.
Adjective
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The Virgo moon invites you to take a slower pace today.
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The Targaryen civil war has been a bit of a slow burn so far, though both sides of the family have suffered major casualties.
Adjective
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That’s because when the body experiences physical stress, including losing weight quickly, more hairs can shift into a resting phase and fall out a few months later — typically two to three months after the event, Rossi explains.
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This is a condition where, due to stress or hormonal changes, the body puts the hair follicles into a resting phase.
Adjective
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But Richmond’s James River stretch also offers calm stretches of flat water near the city center that are ideal for a lazy river tube run.
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Then the release, the arrival, the return to self, and a lazy, funny sort of shyness.
Adjective
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Allergy drugs can ease those symptoms and make people drowsy, potentially offering relief from insomnia.
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Fleets that deployed the company's AI dash cams, which detect drowsy or distracted driving, saw a 73% reduction in accidents after 30 months, according to company data from more than 2,600 customers.
Adjective
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Her bus got within 2 miles of the stadium after 25 minutes, and then sat motionless for 30 minutes at Raytown Road and Ozark Road intersection.
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Hodges then fell to the ground and appeared motionless.
Cite this Entry
“Sleepy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleepy. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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