sleepwalking

[ sleep-waw-king ]
See synonyms for sleepwalking on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. the act or state of walking, eating, or performing other motor acts while asleep, of which one is unaware upon awakening; a condition or disorder characterized by this: If the sleepwalking occurs often, the healthcare provider may do tests to rule out other disorders such as seizures.

  2. the state or condition of acting seemingly without awareness, feeling, aim, or will: Mindfulness is a commitment to staying awake to reality in each moment—avoiding any sleepwalking through life.

adjective
  1. walking while asleep; relating to this state or condition: It is unwise to try waking up a sleepwalking child, as this may result in distress for the child.

  2. acting seemingly without awareness, feeling, aim, or will: Last night Nigeria easily beat the sleepwalking UK team, now on the brink of elimination.

Origin of sleepwalking

1
First recorded in 1790–1800; sleep + walking

Other words from sleepwalking

  • sleep·walk·er, noun

Words Nearby sleepwalking

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use sleepwalking in a sentence

  • It was Mrs. Hope who could least endure this sleepwalking abstraction.

    "Persons Unknown" | Virginia Tracy
  • She felt as though this cry called her from her slumbers and revealed the precipice to which she had strayed in her sleepwalking.

  • Youre going to answer my questions, Janetand answer them truthfully, or youll do your sleepwalking in another world after this.