1
as in sleeping
desiring or needing sleep
the sleepy children were carried up to bed
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2
as in dull
slow to move or act
a sleepy little town on the coast
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3
as in hypnotic
tending to cause sleep
the sleepy drone of his voice made staying awake a challenge
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4
as in slow
lacking in gaiety, movement, or animation
a sleepy party that was mostly attended by the same boring people I work with
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of sleepy
For months, New Jersey’s 2025 governor’s race was considered sleepy political theater—the kind expected to reaffirm the state’s blue credentials before national operatives move on.
—
Nik Popli, Time, 30 Oct. 2025
The town now feels sleepy, surrounded by corn and rice fields.
—John Ruwitch, NPR, 30 Oct. 2025
The facility, located in the sleepy village of Corgemont, Switzerland—about an hour’s drive from Bern—doesn’t immediately strike you as the sort of place that would determine world records.
—Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 29 Oct. 2025
Better check behind every bush and tree, because this movie will convince you every sleepy suburb is a slaughterhouse in the making.
—Chris Snellgrove, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sleepy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleepy
Adjective
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Contributor Yelena Moroz Alpert finds Brooklinen’s prints a good midway point between something too chintzy or something too dull, and thinks highly of the material as well.—
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The fiber’s irregular length distribution—with 50 percent at 28 millimeters and 50 percent in the 10 to 20 millimeter range—delivers a textured, semi-dull and opaque aesthetic that achieves a genuine, vintage washdown performance.—
Adjective
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Nazism’s total domination politically and socially found an aesthetic counterpart in the visual reduction of bodies to things, ecstatically subdued before the hypnotic power of a leader, force, or sublime beauty.—
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Plus, Palmer and Goode's oh-so-palpable chemistry conjures up a hypnotic charm that even Harkness couldn't resist.—
Adjective
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Hoover finished 319 yards on 34-of-50 passing, but his two turnovers were critical mistakes that led to TCU’s slow start in the first half.—
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When visiting the exhibit, plan on taking your time to make the most of it, or what the American Federation of Arts calls slow looking.—
Adjective
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This is a condition where, due to stress or hormonal changes, the body puts the hair follicles into a resting phase.—
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Taking minoxidil orally can support the hair follicle cycle and trigger anagen (the resting phase) prematurely.—
Adjective
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Saturday morning appeared more like a lazy weekday morning at SMF — plenty of curbside pickup spaces and ticketing agents offering extra attention — than the frontline of a nationwide transportation crunch.—
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It’s made with a soft, cozy knit, but the sleek silhouette keeps it from veering into lazy-day territory.—
Adjective
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There’s nothing quite as soothing as the drowsy calmness that washes over you when your partner runs their hands through your hair.—
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The DeWine administration cited driver safety as a catalyst for the project: officials noted that truck drivers who can't find a parking spot are known to drive drowsy or pull over to sleep in unsafe areas.—
Adjective
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The senior from Cibolo fell face-first to the ground and remained motionless as trainers made their way to the field.—
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Ahead of Waymo’s 2026 self-driving ride-hailing fleet rollout in Nashville, a recent mass power outage in San Francisco left many of its vehicles motionless.—
Adjective
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Philadelphia was again doomed by a lethargic offensive effort that cost it a shot at a repeat championship.—
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More energy and enthusiasm There were too many times in the first few months of the season when this team looked lethargic.—
Cite this Entry
“Sleepy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleepy. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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