sleep-deprived

American  

[sleep-di-prahyvd] / ˈslip dɪˌpraɪvd /

adjective

1. affected by fatigue, weakness, impaired judgment, loss of mental alertness, etc., due to lack of sleep.

   I wasn’t going to wait in line overnight and then be in a store with 700 other sleep-deprived shoppers, any of whom could mentally snap and strangle me at any moment.

   If you know you’re going to have a sleep-deprived EEG, plan to have someone drive you to and from the test.

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Etymology

Origin of sleep-deprived

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

New research looks at what happens inside our brain when we are sleep deprived.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 14, 2026

Among participants who slept less than the recommended nine or more hours per night, those who took stimulants earned better grades than sleep deprived children who did not take the medication.

From Science Daily • Dec. 29, 2025

The sailors had just endured a rough winter crossing and were almost as sleep deprived as the officers, many of whom had barely taken a break since the night of the bombing.

From Slate • Jul. 22, 2025

Americans are chronically sleep deprived: one-third of adults in the United States say they get less than 7 hours a night.

From New York Times • Feb. 19, 2024

She felt on edge, sleep deprived, and overcaffeinated.

From "Far from the Tree" by Robin Benway