sleepy

American  

[slee-pee] / ˈsli pi /

adjective

sleepier, sleepiest

1. ready or inclined to sleep; drowsy.

   Synonyms:

   slumberous, somnolent, tired

2. of or showing drowsiness.

3. languid; languorous.

   a sleepy gesture.

4. lethargic; sluggish.

   a sleepy brook.

5. quiet.

   a sleepy village.

6. inducing sleep; soporific.

   sleepy warmth.

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sleepy British  

/ ˈsliːpɪ /

adjective

1. inclined to or needing sleep; drowsy

2. characterized by or exhibiting drowsiness, sluggishness, etc

3. conducive to sleep; soporific

4. without activity or bustle

   a sleepy town

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Other Word Forms

• sleepily adverb
• sleepiness noun
• unsleepy adjective

Etymology

Origin of sleepy

Middle English word dating back to 1175–1225; sleep, -y ¹

Example Sentences

They were missing leader Marie-Philip Poulin in their opening loss to the U.S., and the U.S. can turn flat, like they did in a sleepy second-period chunk of the semi against Sweden.

From The Wall Street Journal

But it spells tough news — and lengthy job hunts — for many other people in a “sleepy” job market.

From MarketWatch

Danny could have stayed in the bath for hours, but he was starting to get sleepy and his fingers were wrinkled like raisins.

From Literature

“The public is slowly waking up to what it will mean for our sleepy little part of the world.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Two suspected Chinese spies, accused of using a sleepy village in south-western France to gather information, have been arrested.

From BBC

Related Words

• drowsy
• lethargic
• listless
• quiet
• sluggish