slumber

American  

[sluhm-ber] / ˈslʌm bər /

verb (used without object)

1. to sleep, especially lightly; doze; drowse.

2. to be in a state of inactivity, negligence, quiescence, or calm.

   Vesuvius is slumbering.

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verb (used with object)

1. to spend or pass (time) in slumbering (often followed by away, out, orthrough ).

   to slumber the afternoon away.

2. to dispel or forget by slumbering (often followed byaway ).

   to slumber cares away.

noun

1. Sometimes slumbers. sleep, especially light sleep.

2. a period of sleep, especially light sleep.

3. a state of inactivity, quiescence, etc.

slumber British  

/ ˈslʌmbə /

verb

1. (intr) to sleep, esp peacefully

2. (intr) to be quiescent or dormant

3. to spend (time) sleeping

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noun

1. (sometimes plural) sleep

2. a dormant or quiescent state

Other Word Forms

• slumberer noun
• slumberless adjective
• unslumbering adjective

Etymology

Origin of slumber

1175–1225; (v.) Middle English slumeren, frequentative of slumen to doze, derivative of Old English slūma sleep ( see -er ⁶); compare German schlummern; (noun) Middle English slomur, slomber, derivative of the v.

Explanation

Slumber means "sleep" — as a verb or noun. If you're a sound sleeper, you might slumber peacefully right through a thunderstorm, your slumber undisturbed. To slumber is to sleep, sometimes specifically to sleep lightly or doze. You can slumber in your bed, in your airplane seat, or through your alarm in the morning. Slumber can also describe a peacefulness, like your quiet street that seems to slumber early in the morning. The phrase slumber party was first used in the 1940s to mean a gathering held at night, that usually involves very little slumbering.

Example Sentences

Looking at its daily chart this has lagged the energy complex since last December but I believe it will come out of its slumber shortly.

From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026

Nvidia’s stock has awakened from its slumber, clocking its seventh consecutive day of gains.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

Football awoke from its slumber in June 2020, squeezing the end of a season into a couple of months.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

Maybe you want to identify what messes with your slumber, such as working out late, or monitor your patterns over time.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 22, 2026

Then the memory of Hamlet’s words tormented me and my own tears wracked me until, exhausted, I fell into an uneasy slumber.

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein

Related Words

• coma
• dormancy
• stupor