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Showing results for sleepy. Search instead for unsleepy.
Synonyms

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.
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
"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

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

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

That may still be faster growth than what the sleepy sector is used to.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

They also rated how deeply they felt they had been sleeping and how sleepy they were.

From Science Daily • Mar. 26, 2026

The film is weirdly slow and sleepy and at least 20 minutes too long.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2026

Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin’s Homeland Security confirmation process was setting up to be a sleepy affair.

From Slate • Mar. 21, 2026

Above, the amber canopy filtered sunlight into a winking glow, easing him into a sleepy daze.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.