sleepier; sleepiest
1
a
: ready to fall asleep
b
: of, relating to, or characteristic of sleep
2
: sluggish as if from sleep : lethargic
also : having little activity
a sleepy coastal village
3
: sleep-inducing
sleepily adverb
sleepiness noun

Examples of sleepy in a Sentence

She felt sleepy and went to bed. the sleepy children were carried up to bed
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This southern island in the country’s archipelago is a sleepy place, a welcome respite from the development, sometimes overdevelopment, going on elsewhere in the region including the country’s main island Providenciales. Laurie Werner, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025 The once relatively sleepy city, long overshadowed by its neighbor Como, has now woken up—and established itself as a destination unto itself. Madeline Weinfield, Vogue, 21 Jan. 2025 The early part of the year is often a bit of a sleepy time for new fiction. John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 18 Jan. 2025 Yonkers, the third largest city in New York with a once sleepy downtown, has been attracting new businesses, rental projects and creative spaces, with more planned. Matt Yan, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for sleepy 

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of sleepy was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near sleepy

Cite this Entry

“Sleepy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sleepy. Accessed 24 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

sleepy

adjective
sleepier; sleepiest
1
: ready to fall asleep
2
: quietly inactive
a sleepy village
sleepily adverb
sleepiness noun

Medical Definition

sleepy

adjective
sleepier; sleepiest
: ready to fall asleep
sleepiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on sleepy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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