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
Back then, residents of the burgeoning Los Angeles area had no idea a merciless killer was lurking in their midst until Feb. 2, 1928, when the headless, naked body of a teenage boy was found in a ditch on a dusty road near the sleepy suburb of La Puente.
—
Kc Baker, People.com, 15 Mar. 2025
Ironically, the actors’ generally sleepy performances are appropriate given the vagueness of their roles.
—Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 13 Mar. 2025
Stay Here: Christian Louboutin’s Vermelho (a Relais & Châteaux property in the sleepy village of Melides) is a true visual feast.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 10 Mar. 2025
Eco-friendly boutique shops, trendy coffee spots, and cafes selling poke bowls have also popped up throughout the sleepy coastal town.
—Katie Lockhart, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sleepy
Kc Baker, People.com, 15 Mar. 2025
Ironically, the actors’ generally sleepy performances are appropriate given the vagueness of their roles.
—Vikram Murthi, IndieWire, 13 Mar. 2025
Stay Here: Christian Louboutin’s Vermelho (a Relais & Châteaux property in the sleepy village of Melides) is a true visual feast.
—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 10 Mar. 2025
Eco-friendly boutique shops, trendy coffee spots, and cafes selling poke bowls have also popped up throughout the sleepy coastal town.
—Katie Lockhart, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sleepy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleepy
Adjective
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The main romance is dull, but there’s plenty of fun slapstick and creative set-pieces in John Hughes’ script to make up for it.—
Barry Levitt,
TIME,
21 Mar. 2025
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Over time, excessive stimulation can lead to dysregulation of the reward system, making routine activities feel dull in comparison.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
19 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Over the course of two-and-a-half hours, a caravan of singers, musician and actors — some associated with her, some not necessarily — sang and read Smith’s words, an ongoing testament to the still hypnotic grip of her songs and poems.—
David Browne,
Rolling Stone,
27 Mar. 2025
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In keeping with the hypnotic, spirited vibe of all Half Magic goodies (the brand is the brainchild of Euphoria head makeup artist Donni Davy, so duh), the Magic Flik Eyeliner breaks the mold with a unique, flexible paddle tip.—
Annie Blackman,
Allure,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The shark’s slow movement may have allowed the octopus to stay latched on, but if the mako had picked up speed, the octopus likely would have been forced off.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
1 Apr. 2025
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Faster hard drives will tend to make more noise than slower ones.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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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
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Green Bay could finish as high as sixth in the NFC if the resting Rams lose to the 49ers, potentially setting up a first-round matchup against the division-rival Lions.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
6 Jan. 2024
Adjective
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On Facebook, the city government shared images of cracks in the walls of the lazy river, rust in the mechanical room and chipping concrete on a pedestrian bridge.—
Eleanor Nash,
Kansas City Star,
23 Mar. 2025
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In contrast to Joe Biden, Trump is not a traditional Atlanticist, views many of Washington's security arrangements in Europe as either antiquated or unfair, and tends to scoff at the European theater writ-large as lazy teenagers who take their parent's support for granted.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The perpetually drowsy dwarf is voiced by Andy Grotelueschen, who has appeared in Elementary, The Good Cop, The Gilded Age, and A Complete Unknown, among other series and films.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
People.com,
21 Mar. 2025
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More than three-fourths of the drowsy driving events to which it has been alerted by dash cams since October were detected by behaviors other than yawning alone.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
26 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Some signs a dog is grieving a furry friend include lack of appetite, lethargic behavior, searching for a companion dog, becoming clingy to the owner or withdrawing from people and other pets.—
William Lambers,
Newsweek,
9 Mar. 2025
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Over time, Fineman noticed that Peach was growing more lethargic, agitated, and itchy, which interrupted the peace of his beloved routine.—
Colson Thayer,
People.com,
7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Washington’s running game, which had been somnolent for a month, came back to life Saturday, gaining 182 yards against the Lions.—
David Aldridge,
The Athletic,
19 Jan. 2025
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In it, bands play a quieter part of the song, or start softly, setting a somnolent mood before blowing it apart with a sudden shift in volume and dynamics, with little more warning than some transitional guitar feedback.—
Aaron Gilbreath,
SPIN,
31 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Sleepy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleepy. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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