Sleepy

/ˈsliːpi/ · adjective

Meaning

Tired; feeling the need for sleep..

Definitions by Sense

1. Tired; feeling the need for sleep.
2. Suggesting tiredness.
3. Tending to induce sleep.
4. (figurative) Dull; lazy.
5. (figurative) Quiet; without bustle or activity.
6. (informal, uncountable or in the plural) The gum that builds up in the eye; sleep, gound.
7. (Australia) Shingleback.

Example Sentences

She wak'd her sleepy crew.

At the very moment he cried out, David realised that what he had run into was only the Christmas tree. Disgusted with himself at such cowardice, he spat a needle from his mouth, stepped back from the tree and listened. There were no sounds of any movement upstairs: no shouts, no sleepy grumbles, only a gentle tinkle from the decorations as the tree had recovered from the collision.

a sleepy drink or potion

[T]he yong L. Roger Mortimer, […] hauing corrupted his Keepers, or (as ſome others vvrite) hauing potioned them vvith a ſleepy drinke, eſcaped out of the Tovver of London, getting ouer clearely vvithout any empeachment into France.

'Tis not sleepy business; But must be looked to speedily and strongly.

a sleepy English village

Experts believe a pandemic welfare programme for poorer Brazilians has encouraged robbers to plan bold raids in sleepy regional cities where bank branches are storing more cash.

Usually sleepy border crossings into Kazakhstan and Mongolia have also been overwhelmed by the sudden influx of Russians looking for a way out.

Synonyms for sleepy

Antonyms for sleepy

Related Words

Word Forms

• sleepier
• sleepiest
• sleeby
• sleepies

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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