sleep 1 of 2

noun

ˈslēp How to pronounce sleep (audio)
Definition of sleepnext
1
as in bed
a natural periodic loss of consciousness during which the body restores itself neither of them has been getting much sleep since the baby was born

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in death
the state of being dead a grieving widower longing to join his beloved wife in her eternal sleep

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in fate
the permanent stopping of all the vital bodily activities regretfully put their terminally ill dog to sleep

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

sleep

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to rest
to be in a state of sleep the baby slept for the entire length of the car trip found the night watchman sleeping at his post

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to breed
to engage in sexual intercourse if I don't read the tabloids, how will I know who is sleeping with whom this week?

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of sleep
Noun
From sleep readings to exercise tracking and accident detection, health wearables have shown immense promise in a market cornered by big tech giants like Apple and Google, and even startup Oura. — Samantha Subin, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026 Supporters say changing the clocks disrupts sleep, increases workplace injuries and contributes to more road accidents. — Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
Verb
Sierra then turned to Daniela, who was sleeping face down on her bed. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026 There are built-ins underneath the stairs, which lead to a sleeping loft with a skylight. — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sleep
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleep
  1. bed
  2. death
  3. fate
  4. rest
  5. breed
  6. slumber
  7. dead
  8. demise
Noun
  • Formerly a one-bedroom with ten-foot ceilings in an 1850s brownstone, it’s been opened up into an alcove studio that can fit a king-size bed.
    — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The main loft is located above the downstairs bedroom and contains another double bed.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of bed
Noun
  • The University of Iowa in March estimated by the end of 2026 there will be 21,700 new cancer diagnoses in the state and 6,400 new cancer deaths.
    — Gabrielle M. Etzel, The Washington Examiner, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Each of the six main suspects get their chance to give their version of events on the day of Jodie’s death, effectively supplying their own alibis.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of death
Noun
  • The fate of Sierra is in the hands of 12 jurors who are tasked with deciding whether Sierra, who pleaded guilty to the murders, should be condemned to death or sentenced to life in prison.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026
  • With the fate of the Protect College Sports Act in limbo in Congress, the NCAA will need to continue litigating lawsuits over player eligibility.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Definition of fate
Verb
  • But with nearly half of the roster sidelined because of injuries or resting, Adou Thiero at least tried to inject some life into a sleepy preseason back-to-back.
    — Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Everyone wants Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s return to the UK to mean that all issues between the British royal family have been put to rest.
    — StyleCaster Editors, StyleCaster, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of rest
Verb
  • As a child of parents who bred him to be the next Green Lantern, John knows full well the conflict between conscience and instinct, a ceaseless war that threatens to explode to the surface.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • People should also check their property and get rid of any pooled water where mosquitoes might breed.
    — Mike Stobbe, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of breed
Noun
  • The Chicago Cubs picked a bad time to go into an offensive slumber.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Above-average rainfall in June and August, along with several cold fronts sweeping across the region, woke the seeds from a lengthy slumber to transform the landscape.
    — Daisy Dobrijevic, Space.com, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of slumber
Noun
  • In the spring just before or just as new growth emerges, remove the mulch and cut the remaining dead stems down to ground level or a few inches above the soil line.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2026
  • While Qingming focuses primarily on one’s own ancestors, the Hungry Ghost Festival extends offerings to wandering spirits and the unclaimed dead.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of dead
Noun
  • And its sudden demise comes amidst a continuing decline in funding for cultural and scientific institutions.
    — Andrew Stelzer, NPR, 3 Oct. 2026
  • In recent weeks, some leading AI firms have warned that their models’ coding abilities could foment humanity’s demise.
    — Shun Graves, Chicago Tribune, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of demise

Phrases Containing sleep

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sleeks
sleep
sleeper
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Cite this Entry

“Sleep.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleep. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sleep

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sleep

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