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
The Sleepy's 3-inch Gel Memory Foam Mattress Topper, available at Mattress Firm, provides a soft and supportive feel-ideal for hot sleepers.
—
Jené Luciani Sena, Fox News, 6 Mar. 2025
Courtesy of Belmond Train enthusiasts who love a certain level of luxury on the rails, heads up: Bookings for the Britannic Explorer, the first luxury sleeper train in England and Wales, are now open, just ahead of the busy summer travel season.
—Blane Bachelor, AFAR Media, 5 Mar. 2025
Jane gets to keep her identity as a sleeper sociopath, Xavier gets to take a plane to the surface to find his wife and the rest of Paradise gets to handily ignore that the very fabric of their society almost collapsed.
—Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2025
One sleeper position to watch in free agency: center.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 3 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sleeper
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Jené Luciani Sena, Fox News, 6 Mar. 2025
Courtesy of Belmond Train enthusiasts who love a certain level of luxury on the rails, heads up: Bookings for the Britannic Explorer, the first luxury sleeper train in England and Wales, are now open, just ahead of the busy summer travel season.
—Blane Bachelor, AFAR Media, 5 Mar. 2025
Jane gets to keep her identity as a sleeper sociopath, Xavier gets to take a plane to the surface to find his wife and the rest of Paradise gets to handily ignore that the very fabric of their society almost collapsed.
—Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2025
One sleeper position to watch in free agency: center.
—Doug Kyed, Boston Herald, 3 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 12 Mar. 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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