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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
The film is weirdly slow and sleepy, and at least 20 minutes too long.
—
Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
These sleepy puppies are right there with you—expert-level napping, zero meetings required.
—Ronnie Li, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026
Descend a Vertical Cave on Antiparos Small, secluded, and a bit sleepy (in the best possible way)—Antiparos is the ultimate retreat in nature.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 23 Mar. 2026
In particular, Griffin wishes to capture the voice of a local woman who, once Jim arrives in this sleepy but sinister community, turns out to have recently gone missing.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sleepy
Katie Walsh, Boston Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
These sleepy puppies are right there with you—expert-level napping, zero meetings required.
—Ronnie Li, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026
Descend a Vertical Cave on Antiparos Small, secluded, and a bit sleepy (in the best possible way)—Antiparos is the ultimate retreat in nature.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 23 Mar. 2026
In particular, Griffin wishes to capture the voice of a local woman who, once Jim arrives in this sleepy but sinister community, turns out to have recently gone missing.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 20 Mar. 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.—
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
26 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Hochheiser, who could not return to his condo due to a mold infestation, said one dull day melted into another at Villa Rosa III.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
2 Apr. 2026
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Found Sound is a story about two kids, Felix and Marigold, and a seemingly dull summer vacation that’s upended when the kids find an old wooden box that says OPEN ME.—
Caroline Carlson,
Literary Hub,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Later in the book, after Thomas has died, the narrator visits Max at his home in California, where another hypnotic two-hander unfolds.—
Giles Harvey,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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Watching hummingbirds is very Zen-like, almost hypnotic.—
Ernie Cowan,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In fact, businesses hired workers at their slowest pace since 2011, excluding the onset of the pandemic in 2020.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
3 Apr. 2026
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The area’s large tourist population contributes a constant volume of unfamiliar drivers to already heavily congested roads, with traffic patterns that shift significantly between peak tourist season and the summer months but never truly slow to manageable levels on the area’s major corridors.—
Anton Lucanus
April 3,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2026
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.—
Tom Gavin,
EverydayHealth.com,
17 Feb. 2026
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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.—
Essence,
Essence,
19 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Just don’t get lazy about it… Need a news break?—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
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Jones had complained that Wallace was lazy at work before Wallace was fired.—
Peter D'Abrosca,
FOXNews.com,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Getting a full eight hours of sleep and still feeling drowsy?—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
22 Mar. 2026
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Legal Consequences of Drowsy Driving While drowsy or fatigued driving may not lead to criminal charges as serious as DUI or DWI, a person who is accused of driving unsafely may still face penalties.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Alongside college basketball icon Bill Raftery, Hill sat motionless as the ball rattled in, hand over his mouth, at a complete loss for words.—
Rowan Fisher-Shotton,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
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The man is later seen lying motionless on the street as bystanders and police attempt to wake him.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sleepy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleepy. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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