sleep
verb (used without object)
to take the rest afforded by a suspension of voluntary bodily functions and the natural suspension, complete or partial, of consciousness; cease being awake.
is sleeping
-
present progressiveof sleep (3rd person singular).present progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or state that is currently taking place in the immediate present.
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.
The family rearranged the bedrooms with her daughters and grandchildren so nobody is sleeping in the smoke-damaged room facing the street.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 6, 2026
"You just have to stay strong, make sure you don't die, you know," said the 19-year-old, who is sleeping in a tent in the French capital.
From Barron's ● Jan. 7, 2026
In traditional CBT-I, the person with insomnia brings a two-week sleep diary to one of those all-too-hard-to-find behavioral sleep specialists, who tallies up how much time that person is sleeping every 24 hours, on average.
From Slate ● Jul. 19, 2025
“It’s crazy to think that somebody in my situation is sleeping out on the street. That’s not okay.”
From Salon ● Apr. 11, 2025
“He wanted to come to the airport, but he was too tired. He is sleeping more.”
From "Darius the Great Is Not Okay" by Adib Khorram
