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
Catalina Island Best for: an accessible, unpretentious, car-free getaway
Warm and sunny, with a small town built into the hills around a palm tree–lined seafront that overlooks a sleepy harbor, Catalina Island evokes any number of spots on the Italian—or French—Riviera.
—
Tim Chester, AFAR Media, 29 July 2025
The sleepy, small coastal towns of the Panhandle have a timeless Old Florida allure not found in many other parts of Florida.
—Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 29 July 2025
Usyk and Dubois have some work to do to save a pretty sleepy event in London.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 19 July 2025
At the time, Positano was still a sleepy fishing village.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sleepy
Tim Chester, AFAR Media, 29 July 2025
The sleepy, small coastal towns of the Panhandle have a timeless Old Florida allure not found in many other parts of Florida.
—Kelsey Glennon, Southern Living, 29 July 2025
Usyk and Dubois have some work to do to save a pretty sleepy event in London.
—Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 19 July 2025
At the time, Positano was still a sleepy fishing village.
—Elise Taylor, Vogue, 9 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for sleepy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleepy
Adjective
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The only other real difference was that the no-sugar version looked shinier and gummier, whereas the originals were a bit duller in comparison.—
Lisa DeSantis,
Glamour,
29 July 2025
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Changeable conditions usually make for exciting races, but 2025 was a bit dull.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
28 July 2025
Adjective
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This week, Tyler, the Creator surprise releases a dance-forward LP, Drake teams up with Central Cee for a hypnotic club banger, and Lola Young delivers some sunny escapism.—
Rolling Stone,
Rolling Stone,
25 July 2025
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Osbourne sang in the high howl of a man being burned at the stake, and his melodies unfolded in a slow, hypnotic smolder.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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Progress toward the opening of the micro-home village has been slow following a ceremonial groundbreaking held in July 2023.—
Joseph Flaherty,
Arkansas Online,
30 July 2025
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As elevated mortgage rates continue to put a damper on the housing market locally and nationally, rising inventory, slower sales and lower prices have made for more favorable conditions for potential buyers in the Austin-area housing market.—
Shonda Novak,
Austin American Statesman,
30 July 2025
Adjective
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During the resting phase, hair stops growing and will shed, or fall out.—
Jessica Swirble,
Verywell Health,
10 July 2025
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Telogen Stage The telogen stage of the hair cycle is a resting phase, during which the hair doesn't grow, and the follicle is dormant.1 About 10% to 15% of the hairs on your body are in this resting phase at any one time, which typically lasts for a few months.—
Nancy LeBrun,
Verywell Health,
13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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It's adorned as a melting ski resort, featuring cool slides, a lazy river, and a wave pool.—
Lynnette Nicholas,
Parents,
23 July 2025
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Babitz is often contrasted with her frenemy Joan Didion—Babitz was cast in the popular imagination as the fun, ditzy sexpot, as opposed to Didion’s cool, cold-blooded stenographer—but the maturity and thoughtfulness of these stories dispel any lazy stereotypes.—
The Atlantic Culture Desk,
The Atlantic,
23 July 2025
Adjective
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Yet the car will likely obey speed limits, never get drowsy or drunk and never rubberneck or give in to road rage.—
Deni Ellis Béchard,
Scientific American,
22 June 2025
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Preparation through adequate rest is an important part of avoiding drowsy driving, which could be fatal according to NHTSA.—
Charles Singh,
Nashville Tennessean,
9 May 2025
Adjective
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The dog appeared healthy during his morning walk before becoming lethargic and vomiting in his kennel, according to NBC 6 South Florida.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 July 2025
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Fast forward nine months and that rosy picture is beginning to look a little more lethargic.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
11 June 2025
Adjective
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Alan Fox’s script is rife with clunkers (the somnolent Ilfenesh Hadera, as David’s wife Pam, explains with haunting detail which items of decor on the dining table can be moved where by the police), and the intrusive score is the equivalent of garish wall-to-wall carpeting.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
20 May 2025
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While there are a half-dozen or so worthy books on the list, most of them are somnolent doctoral theses that probably should not have been acquired in the first place.—
George Liebmann,
Baltimore Sun,
21 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sleepy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleepy. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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