sleeper

[ slee-per ]

/ ˈsli pər /

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See synonyms for sleeper on Thesaurus.com

noun

a person or thing that sleeps.

a heavy horizontal timber for distributing loads.

Building Trades.

any long wooden, metal, or stone piece lying horizontally as a sill or footing.
any of a number of wooden pieces, laid upon the ground or upon masonry or concrete, to which floorboards are nailed.

a sleeping car.

Informal. something or someone that becomes unexpectedly successful or important after a period of being unnoticed, ignored, or considered unpromising or a failure: The play was the sleeper of the season.

merchandise that is not quickly sold because its value is not immediately recognized.

Often sleepers. one-piece or two-piece pajamas with feet, especially for children.

bunting³.

a sofa, chair, or other piece of furniture that is designed to open up or unfold into a bed; convertible.

Also called sleep, sand. a globule that forms at the inner corner of the eye, especially during sleep, from the accumulated secretion of the glands of the eyelid.

any of several gobioid fishes of the family Eleotridae, of tropical seas, most species of which have the habit of resting quietly on the bottom.

Slang. a spy; mole.

Slang. a juvenile delinquent sentenced to serve more than nine months.

Bowling. a pin that is hidden from view by another pin.

Chiefly British. a timber or beam laid in a railroad track, serving as a foundation or support for the rails; tie.

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Origin of sleeper

Middle English word dating back to 1175–1225; see origin at sleep, -er¹

Words nearby sleeper

sleep-away, sleep a wink, not, sleepcoat, sleep debt, sleep-deprived, sleeper, sleeper seat, sleeper terrorist, sleep hygiene, sleep-in, sleeping

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use sleeper in a sentence

If you’re a cold sleeper, many fabric options will keep you nice and toasty.
Best weighted blanket: Sleep like a baby with our comfy bedding picks|PopSci Commerce Team|February 12, 2021|Popular-Science
It’s easier to break in but it’s not great for stomach sleepers, who typically need a firmer surface.
Best memory foam mattress: Sleep better on one of these picks|PopSci Commerce Team|January 25, 2021|Popular-Science
Tencel, in particular, is moisture-wicking, which will aid sweaty sleepers.
Best sheets: Choose the right bed linens for a good night’s sleep|Carsen Joenk|December 18, 2020|Popular-Science
It’s also fairly soft, so even stomach sleepers can prop it under their heads.
The best pillow: Sleep better in any position|Carsen Joenk|December 11, 2020|Popular-Science

Montana is also a potential sleeper for the Democrats, and its turnout is currently 91 percent of its entire 2016 turnout.
Where the race stands, 4 days from Election Day|Aaron Blake|October 30, 2020|Washington Post
Hollywood might possibly fear North Korean sleeper cells capable of blowing up theaters that screen anti-Nork films.
Pyongyang Shuffle: Hollywood In Dead Panic Over Sony Hack|James Poulos|December 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
But faced with a sleeper hit, HBO shockingly did not quite feel the same way.
Alright ‘True Detective,’ You Got Me: Taylor Kitsch Is a Woman’s Man|Teo Bugbee|November 1, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Sam Brownback—The Kansas Governor might be the sleeper in this race to crazy.
How Long Can the Republicans Hide The Crazy?|Dean Obeidallah|September 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
An accidental polyphasic sleeper, Bartiromo rests in naps rather than eight-hour chunks like the rest of us.
He Bullies Kids and Calls It News|Brandy Zadrozny|June 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
One night late that summer they put him aboard the sleeper for Winnipeg, and when he got off he asked for the Marlborough Hotel.
Gordie Howe Hockey’s Greatest War Horse|W.C. Heinz|May 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
On his return he introduced them on the Midland, both the parlour car and the sleeper.
Fifty Years of Railway Life in England, Scotland and Ireland|Joseph Tatlow
Woman—Thou beest a sound sleeper—Wake up, and see to thy bairn, and I will gie thee both a good breakfast.
The World Before Them|Susanna Moodie
His words mingled in my dazed mind with the sighs of the troubled sleeper and the crying of the wind about the tent.
Three More John Silence Stories|Algernon Blackwood
Recovering from his fit of abstraction, Pyne, casting a final keen glance at the sleeper, walked out of the room.
Dope|Sax Rohmer
With a look of intense loathing the queen bent down and laid her head on the sleeper's breast.
The Weight of the Crown|Fred M. White

British Dictionary definitions for sleeper

sleeper

/ (ˈsliːpə) /

noun

a person, animal, or thing that sleeps

a railway sleeping car or compartment

British one of the blocks supporting the rails on a railway trackUS and Canadian equivalent: tie

a heavy timber beam, esp one that is laid horizontally on the ground

mainly British a small plain gold circle worn in a pierced ear lobe to prevent the hole from closing up

a wrestling hold in which a wrestler presses the sides of his opponent's neck, causing him to pass out

US an unbranded calf

Also called: sleeper goby any gobioid fish of the family Eleotridae, of brackish or fresh tropical waters, resembling the gobies but lacking a ventral sucker

informal a person or thing that achieves unexpected success after an initial period of obscurity

a spy planted in advance for future use, but not currently active

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

sleeper

Origin of sleeper

Words nearby sleeper

Words related to sleeper

How to use sleeper in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for sleeper