as in asleep
being in a state of suspended consciousness
a roomful of sleeping preschoolers at a daycare center
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in resting
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in napping
to be in a state of sleep
the baby slept for the entire length of the car trip found the night watchman sleeping at his post
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in breeding
to engage in sexual intercourse
if I don't read the tabloids, how will I know who is sleeping with whom this week?
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Recent Examples of sleeping
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
26 Feb. 2026
Bridget Borgobello
july 03,
New Atlas,
4 July 2026
Fourth of July Camping Deals With markdowns on functional tents, sleeping bags, and rechargeable lanterns, there’s no better time to snag camping essentials.
—
Destinee Scott,
Travel + Leisure,
3 July 2026
And though a state law banning public sleeping took effect almost a year ago, this summer’s tally of the county’s street-sleeping residents was the highest since August 2022.
—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
2 July 2026
Available in pink or blue, the toy—which attaches to crib bars or can be situated near your child’s sleeping space—features a relaxing array of sounds, lights, and music, along with gentle motion, to encourage your darling to doze.
—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
1 July 2026
Several have doors that separate the living and sleeping areas.
—
Ramsey Qubein,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
In a place where many homes lean into glass, driftwood tones and a conventional layout, this one sprawls like a resort, with sleeping quarters separated into individual pavilion-like structures.
—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
29 June 2026
When Kerstin started doing more mountain hiking, back in 2020, her mother asked her to get a bivouac bag—a lightweight emergency sleeping bag that is standard gear for mountaineers.
—
William Finnegan,
New Yorker,
29 June 2026
Dealing with increasing amounts of clutter added yet another layer of difficulty to their sleeping situation.
—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
27 June 2026
Bridget Borgobello
july 03,
New Atlas,
4 July 2026
The ex-president saw shattered tiles in the roadway and homeless people sleeping on street corners in a city whose police department had recommended drivers stay in the middle lane to avoid carjackers.
—
Shelby Talcott,
semafor.com,
3 July 2026
The Heat and Raptors' title odds have also soared in the wake of the Antetokounmpo and Leonard trades, while the Indiana Pacers could have sleeping-giant potential after the trade-deadline acquisition of Ivica Zubac.
—
Bryan Toporek,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
East2West footage showed the overnight barrage from inside Kyiv, including a baby sleeping as explosions flashed outside an open window and smoke from an earlier strike rose nearby.
—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
2 July 2026
The cities of Miami and Miami Beach saw 13% and 8% year-over-year declines, respectively, in the number of people sleeping outside.
—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
2 July 2026
The inebriated father who sometimes leapt upon his sleeping children, fists flailing?
—
Jason Prokowiew,
PEOPLE,
1 July 2026
Bed bugs typically stay within a few feet of their food source, which is usually sleeping people or pets.
—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 June 2026
The shot in question, which arrives near the outset of Rear Window, features a sleeping Jeff, whose face is suddenly pooled over in shadow.
—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 June 2026
Adjective
An autopsy showed that the infant died from asphyxiation secondary to a co-sleeping/overlay event with an unsafe sleeping environment.
—
Laura Bauer,
Kansas City Star,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
The floorplan is arranged with a clear separation between the living areas and private sleeping quarters of the home.
—
Bridget Borgobello
july 03,
New Atlas,
4 July 2026
Fourth of July Camping Deals With markdowns on functional tents, sleeping bags, and rechargeable lanterns, there’s no better time to snag camping essentials.
—
Destinee Scott,
Travel + Leisure,
3 July 2026
And though a state law banning public sleeping took effect almost a year ago, this summer’s tally of the county’s street-sleeping residents was the highest since August 2022.
—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
2 July 2026
Available in pink or blue, the toy—which attaches to crib bars or can be situated near your child’s sleeping space—features a relaxing array of sounds, lights, and music, along with gentle motion, to encourage your darling to doze.
—
Melissa Willets,
Parents,
1 July 2026
Several have doors that separate the living and sleeping areas.
—
Ramsey Qubein,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2026
In a place where many homes lean into glass, driftwood tones and a conventional layout, this one sprawls like a resort, with sleeping quarters separated into individual pavilion-like structures.
—
David Caraccio,
Sacbee.com,
29 June 2026
When Kerstin started doing more mountain hiking, back in 2020, her mother asked her to get a bivouac bag—a lightweight emergency sleeping bag that is standard gear for mountaineers.
—
William Finnegan,
New Yorker,
29 June 2026
Dealing with increasing amounts of clutter added yet another layer of difficulty to their sleeping situation.
—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
27 June 2026
Verb
The elevated loft is the fourth sleeping zone of the home, and is designated as the children’s quarters, giving the cabin a playful, camp-like feel.
—
Bridget Borgobello
july 03,
New Atlas,
4 July 2026
The ex-president saw shattered tiles in the roadway and homeless people sleeping on street corners in a city whose police department had recommended drivers stay in the middle lane to avoid carjackers.
—
Shelby Talcott,
semafor.com,
3 July 2026
The Heat and Raptors' title odds have also soared in the wake of the Antetokounmpo and Leonard trades, while the Indiana Pacers could have sleeping-giant potential after the trade-deadline acquisition of Ivica Zubac.
—
Bryan Toporek,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2026
East2West footage showed the overnight barrage from inside Kyiv, including a baby sleeping as explosions flashed outside an open window and smoke from an earlier strike rose nearby.
—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
2 July 2026
The cities of Miami and Miami Beach saw 13% and 8% year-over-year declines, respectively, in the number of people sleeping outside.
—
Max Klaver,
Miami Herald,
2 July 2026
The inebriated father who sometimes leapt upon his sleeping children, fists flailing?
—
Jason Prokowiew,
PEOPLE,
1 July 2026
Bed bugs typically stay within a few feet of their food source, which is usually sleeping people or pets.
—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 June 2026
The shot in question, which arrives near the outset of Rear Window, features a sleeping Jeff, whose face is suddenly pooled over in shadow.
—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
19 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleeping
Adjective
-
Ed Lomena, the attorney representing the pilot — who asked not to be identified by name for fear of job repercussions — says his client was asleep when the creatures entered the room.
-
His attorney, Ed Lowena, said his client was asleep when the disturbance began.
Noun
-
According to maritime archaeologists, the future site of Hornsea 3 was the final resting place for an over 300-year-old shipwreck that sank carrying a load of massive, valuable lead slabs known as ingots.
-
The most poignant moment came later in the day when the client visited George Michael’s final resting place.
Verb
-
He was spotted napping and playing with traffic cones near Tasmania's capital, Hobart.
-
By then, however, Jaxon was napping at the daycare center across town before an Easter egg hunt planned that afternoon.
Verb
-
Between June and November, thousands of humpback whales migrate through Brazilian waters, traveling roughly 2,500 miles (4,000 kilometers) from their feeding grounds in the Southern Ocean to breeding and calving grounds off northeastern Brazil.
-
Residents can also request a free backyard inspection from the department's Pest Management team to identify areas where mosquitoes may be breeding.
Noun
-
Lily is the quickest to figure out the detective stories that George reads them every evening in the field, but otherwise smarts count for little in a quiet life of grazing and dozing.
-
There’s no dozing off in his sessions.
Verb
-
Bucks will regrow their antlers every year ahead of mating season, and then shed them during the late winter, after mating season is over, according to Mississippi State University.
-
The New World screwworm's larvae eat live flesh and fluids instead of dead material, with females laying their eggs in open wounds and mucous membranes after mating only once in their monthslong lives.
Cite this Entry
“Sleeping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleeping. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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