sleepwalking

American  

[sleep-waw-king] / ˈslipˌwɔ kɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or state of walking, eating, or performing other motor acts while asleep, of which one is unaware upon awakening; a condition or disorder characterized by this.

   If the sleepwalking occurs often, the healthcare provider may do tests to rule out other disorders such as seizures.

2. the state or condition of acting seemingly without awareness, feeling, aim, or will.

   Mindfulness is a commitment to staying awake to reality in each moment—avoiding any sleepwalking through life.

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adjective

1. walking while asleep; relating to this state or condition.

   It is unwise to try waking up a sleepwalking child, as this may result in distress for the child.

2. acting seemingly without awareness, feeling, aim, or will.

   Last night Nigeria easily beat the sleepwalking UK team, now on the brink of elimination.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• sleepwalker
  noun

Etymology

Origin of sleepwalking

First recorded in 1790–1800; sleep + walking

Example Sentences

On a never-ending feed we watch the cute and profane, sleepwalking toward an emotional state beyond shock as entertainment: the banality of passive consumption.

From Slate • May 12, 2026

The Chargers, whose distinctive look was a nod to the 1970s, were sleepwalking in the first half before coming to life in the second.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 19, 2025

The setting is still a Swiss alpine hamlet, but the villagers are all members of some puritanical sect and its sleepwalking heroine, Amina, has longings that transcend its limits.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 8, 2025

It was so hard, I ended up sleepwalking.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2025

Two men, one grimfaced, one openly weeping; and one woman who moved as though she were sleepwalking.

From "Kindred" by Octavia Butler