1
: one that sleeps
2
: a piece of timber, stone, or steel on or near the ground to support a superstructure, keep railroad rails in place, or receive floor joists : stringpiece
3
4
: someone or something unpromising or unnoticed that suddenly attains prominence or value
the low-budget film became the summer's sleeper
5
: children's pajamas usually with feet
—usually used in plural
6
chiefly British
: a small earring or stud worn to keep the hole of a pierced ear from closing
Examples of sleeper in a Sentence
Sleepers were awakened by the sound of a loud crash.
He may turn out to be the sleeper in this year's election.
The movie was the summer's sleeper.
The movie became the sleeper hit of the summer.
Recent Examples on the Web
Luxury log cabins sleep four or eight and offer full kitchens, dining and living areas, heated floors, A/C, flat-screen TVs with DirecTV, and queen-size sleeper sofas.
—
Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Incorporate Lighting Mounting a sconce in each berth lets every sleeper control their own reading light.
—Laura Fenton, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Apr. 2025
Meanwhile, Democrats sought to make inroads in the president’s home state of Florida, where two special House elections emerged as last-minute sleeper races that had some Republicans on edge.
—Julia Manchester, The Hill, 2 Apr. 2025
One of the biggest sleepers year-to-date is the SZA-Keke Palmer comedy One of Them Days, which opened to $11.8M and did a 4x multiple to $50M at the domestic box office.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sleeper
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Jim Dobson, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
Incorporate Lighting Mounting a sconce in each berth lets every sleeper control their own reading light.
—Laura Fenton, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Apr. 2025
Meanwhile, Democrats sought to make inroads in the president’s home state of Florida, where two special House elections emerged as last-minute sleeper races that had some Republicans on edge.
—Julia Manchester, The Hill, 2 Apr. 2025
One of the biggest sleepers year-to-date is the SZA-Keke Palmer comedy One of Them Days, which opened to $11.8M and did a 4x multiple to $50M at the domestic box office.
—Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 31 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sleeper
Cite this Entry
“Sleeper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sleeper. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sleeper
noun
sleep·er
ˈslē-pər 
1
: one that sleeps
2
: a horizontal beam to support something on or near ground level
3
4
: someone or something considered unlikely to succeed that suddenly becomes successful
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