sleep-in
adjective
sleep-in
American
[sleep-in]
/ ˈslipˌɪn /
adjective
noun
sleep in
British
verb
-
to sleep longer than usual
-
to sleep at the place of one's employment
sleep in
Idioms
-
Sleep at one's place of employment, as in They have a butler and maid who both sleep in . [First half of 1800s]
-
Sleep late, either accidentally or deliberately. For example, I slept in and missed my usual train , or On weekends we like to sleep in . [Late 1800s]
Etymology
Origin of sleep-in
First recorded in 1950–55; adj., noun use of verb phrase sleep in
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.
“Instead of spending $40 each and getting bedbugs, it’s better to sleep in the car,” Georgiou said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026
The NHS advises to "always place your baby on their back to sleep" in their own sleep space, like a cot, for the first 12 months to reduce the risk of Sids.
From BBC • May 5, 2026
One of the main methods suggested by health authorities to improve sleep in infants is something called sleep training.
From Slate • May 3, 2026
After which he addresses the moon, asking it to “shine in my yard, / let the grass blades / cast shadows on themselves. / Harbinger of dreams, let me sleep in your / eternal glow.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026
It was safe there, but far too unstable to sleep in.
From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer
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.
