sleepwalking

American  

[sleep-waw-king] / ˈslipˌwɔ kɪŋ /

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.

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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.

Other Word Forms

• sleepwalker
  noun

Etymology

Origin of sleepwalking

First recorded in 1790–1800; sleep + walking

Example Sentences

On a never-ending feed we watch the cute and profane, sleepwalking toward an emotional state beyond shock as entertainment: the banality of passive consumption.

From Slate • May 12, 2026

While basically sleepwalking through the first three games of the NLCS, Shohei Ohtani saves his best for last.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 18, 2025

Amina’s sleepwalking lands her in a compromising position and she is condemned by the community and rejected by Elvino until the revelation of her sleepwalking habit proves her innocent.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 8, 2025

"We've been sleepwalking into this as a nation for quite some time," he says.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2025

There he stood motionless for a long time, managing to stay erect as if he were sleepwalking, still not understanding what was happening and tormented by the screams coming through the walls.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende