1
as in sleeping
desiring or needing sleep
the sleepy children were carried up to bed
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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
In recent years, the government even started paying people to move to its sleepy medieval villages.
—
Siobhan Reid, Robb Report, 7 Sep. 2025
The same woman who used to have fun behind her camera now seems sleepy, dazed, and even drugged.
—Literary Hub, 5 Sep. 2025
The vibe is still that of a small town sleepy Florida paradise, according to Derek Gores.
—Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025
At a time when manufacturing has migrated south and overseas from the Midwest, how has a sleepy village outside of Peoria, Illinois, maintained its prosperity?
—Katherine Laidlaw, HubSpot, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sleepy
Siobhan Reid, Robb Report, 7 Sep. 2025
The same woman who used to have fun behind her camera now seems sleepy, dazed, and even drugged.
—Literary Hub, 5 Sep. 2025
The vibe is still that of a small town sleepy Florida paradise, according to Derek Gores.
—Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025
At a time when manufacturing has migrated south and overseas from the Midwest, how has a sleepy village outside of Peoria, Illinois, maintained its prosperity?
—Katherine Laidlaw, HubSpot, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sleepy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleepy
Adjective
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Early on, the dull chamber music of the Ferrari 296’s wide-angle V6 gas-electric hybrid powertrain was roundly criticized.—
Mark Ewing,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Rather than efficiently dicing and slicing your produce, a dull knife actually requires more force, which can cause you or someone else in your household to get hurt.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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For a generation whose existence is mostly, if not entirely, lived through devices, peering through the hypnotic glow of their phone screens at a picture-in-picture playback of the events unfolding in front of them is an extension, or even an evolution, of the experience.—
Jeff Ihaza,
Rolling Stone,
9 Sep. 2025
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The film is a mess, opaque in its argument and tiring in its effortful weirdness, and yet in its best moments has a hypnotic pull.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
During the prelims in Tokyo, Seville had a concerning slow reaction to the starting gun.—
Katelyn Hutchison,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
Parisian servers may have an undeserved reputation for being slow, but instead of complaining or searching for faster service elsewhere, settle in with a book or newspaper.—
Lane Nieset,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
During the resting phase, hair stops growing and will shed, or fall out.—
Jessica Swirble,
Verywell Health,
10 July 2025
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Green Bay could finish as high as sixth in the NFC if the resting Rams lose to the 49ers, potentially setting up a first-round matchup against the division-rival Lions.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
6 Jan. 2024
Adjective
-
The last lazy Sunday of summer.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Unlike Disneyland or Disney World, there is no theme park, but the resort boasts a mini water park with slides and a lazy river for all ages to enjoy.—
Essence,
Essence,
12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
There’s nothing quite as soothing as the drowsy calmness that washes over you when your partner runs their hands through your hair.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
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The DeWine administration cited driver safety as a catalyst for the project: officials noted that truck drivers who can't find a parking spot are known to drive drowsy or pull over to sleep in unsafe areas.—
Annie Goldman,
The Enquirer,
31 July 2025
Adjective
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The missions led to several breakthroughs, including a motionless lane-switch mechanism, a safer magnetic levitation system, and improved structural resilience.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Sep. 2025
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Small panfish and bream float stunned and motionless in the five feet or so of zapped lake around the boat, but the target eels do not seem as susceptible in the marshy edges that are lined with brush.—
Wesley Bruer,
CNN Money,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The pre-snap process was lethargic, the playmaking was uneven, and the center-to-quarterback exchange was inconsistent.—
Mike Kaye
September 10,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Sep. 2025
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Trailing after two lethargic quarters, the Chiefs gained life when Chargers rookie Omarion Hampton mistakenly ran out of bounds, giving Kansas City one last possession before the end of the half.—
Pete Sweeney,
Kansas City Star,
6 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sleepy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleepy. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.
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