sleepover

American  

[sleep-oh-ver] / ˈslipˌoʊ vər /

noun

1. an instance of sleeping over, as at another person's house.

2. a person who sleeps over.

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sleepover British  

/ ˈsliːpˌəʊvə /

noun

1. informal an instance of spending the night at someone else's home

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Etymology

Origin of sleepover

First recorded in 1970–75; noun use of verb phrase sleep over

Explanation

A sleepover is a night you spend sleeping at a friend's house. Some sleepovers are large gatherings of many pajama-wearing friends, while overs consist of just two people. If you're invited to a sleepover, you'll want to pack a sleeping bag, your toothbrush, and pajamas. Kids and teenagers are the most likely to attend sleepovers, which often mark the first time a child has slept away from her own bed. When a sleepover involves a group of friends, you can also call it a slumber party or pajama party. Sleepover has been used since the 1930s.

Example Sentences

Influencer Alix Earle posted a TikTok Saturday of herself getting ready for a sleepover with her sister with the caption “Now off to watch fruit love island.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

The mum of a seven-year-old boy with a rare genetic condition says life-changing surgery means he is finally able to have his very first sleepover.

From BBC • Nov. 18, 2025

Though the scene seems like something out of a movie, it is in fact a whimsical sleepover at the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

From Barron's • Oct. 25, 2025

“I so enjoyed writing that,” she says giddily, as if we’re two teenagers around Rosie’s age gossiping at a sleepover.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2025

She was holding pepperonis over her eyes, just like she did at the sleepover.

From "Sleepover Sleuths: Nancy Drew and the Clue Crew, #1" by Carolyn Keene