sleeping
Americannoun
adjective
-
of, relating to, or having accommodations for sleeping.
a sleeping compartment.
-
used to sleep in or on.
a sleeping jacket.
-
used to induce or aid sleep or while asleep.
sleeping mask.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of sleeping
Middle English word dating back to 1250–1300; see origin at sleep, -ing 1, -ing 2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A world premiere by Gregory Spears casts a veil of dream-like haunting over the story of Sleeping Beauty.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 26, 2026
"They hit hard last night. All you can see in our house are cracks in the walls. Sleeping has become the hardest thing for me."
From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026
Sleeping is a particular issue aboard Air Force One, where Trump keeps his advisers awake, according to aides.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 1, 2026
For those who do not know their Aladdins from their Sleeping Beauties, Ms Whitfield says anyone watching a panto must tap into their inner dame.
From BBC • Dec. 12, 2025
Sleeping in the truck is not as much fun as I thought it would be.
From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
