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
After dark, there’s more to do Charlotte in the ‘80s is often described as a sleepy town, but there were at least a dozen discos/nightclubs in operation during that decade including popular spots like Pterodactyl, 13∙13 and Park Elevator.
—
Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2025
Those ticket sales were enough to lead an otherwise sleepy weekend at the domestic box office.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 19 Oct. 2025
Showgirl leads a sleepy top 10 on the latest Billboard 200, where no albums debut in the region.
—Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 19 Oct. 2025
Greaves had a sleepy first two periods, facing six shots in the first and only three in the second.
—Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sleepy
Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2025
Those ticket sales were enough to lead an otherwise sleepy weekend at the domestic box office.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 19 Oct. 2025
Showgirl leads a sleepy top 10 on the latest Billboard 200, where no albums debut in the region.
—Keith Caulfield, Billboard, 19 Oct. 2025
Greaves had a sleepy first two periods, facing six shots in the first and only three in the second.
—Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for sleepy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleepy
Adjective
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Probably something dull and unpaid.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
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Watch for warning signs like dropping buds and dull-looking foliage, which indicate the soil is too dry for this plant.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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His presence is fresh, empathetic, often hypnotic, and never overacted.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
24 Oct. 2025
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One of the most basic versions is a progressive relaxation technique, a countdown from 10 to 1 where Perri uses what are known as hypnotic language patterns.—
Rustin Dodd,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Those taking GLP-1s showed a slower rise in breath alcohol during the first 10 to 20 minutes and lower overall levels throughout.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
26 Oct. 2025
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Researchers highlighted the current challenges for OCTOID, including slow thermal response and potential fatigue of CLCEs, and the weight of nichrome wires limiting flexibility.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Taking minoxidil orally can support the hair follicle cycle and trigger anagen (the resting phase) prematurely.—
Jessie Quinn,
Flow Space,
23 Sep. 2025
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During the resting phase, hair stops growing and will shed, or fall out.—
Jessica Swirble,
Verywell Health,
10 July 2025
Adjective
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Endorsing lazy rightwing talking points about Biden and border security, and nations not existing without borders?—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
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On an underneath throw to Zach Ertz from Commanders backup quarterback Marcus Mariota, Bland cut off the lazy throw and returned it 68 yards for his sixth career interception return for a touchdown.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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There’s nothing quite as soothing as the drowsy calmness that washes over you when your partner runs their hands through your hair.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
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The DeWine administration cited driver safety as a catalyst for the project: officials noted that truck drivers who can't find a parking spot are known to drive drowsy or pull over to sleep in unsafe areas.—
Annie Goldman,
The Enquirer,
31 July 2025
Adjective
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In Sunday’s match between Elche and Athletic Club, however, Spanish broadcaster DAZN showed a wide angle of all 22 players motionless for the 15 seconds.—
Colin Millar,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
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Howard went down hard after hitting another player and remained motionless on the field as trainers rushed to his side.—
Anna Lazarus Caplan,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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At just 5 weeks old and weighing just over 4 pounds, Lilly was lethargic, withdrawn and appeared seriously unwell.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
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The market is lethargic nationwide, too, with 345,016 sales, down 9% in a year and 18% below average.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sleepy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleepy. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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