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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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
Previous studies have examined individual relationships, such as the effects of lighting on sleep and circadian rhythms or the influence of layout on privacy and social interaction. — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026 Chinese medicine taught me that our symptoms are signals, not inconveniences to silence, and that food as thy medicine, sleep, circadian rhythms, stress awareness and our daily habits can all be powerful forms of medicine. — Tanya Akim, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
Verb
Some rooms are pet-friendly, and the owners also offer vacation rentals that can sleep up to 12 people. — Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026 Either way, check the rental listings for the layout and sleeping arrangements to make sure everyone has a place to sleep. — Sara Hansen, Denver Post, 11 Aug. 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
  • Sometimes poison ivy will creep into beds from nearby woodlands, but these plants can also find their way into flower beds via seeds dropped by birds.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The Trust says the project would involve dredging around 643,000 cubic meters of sediment from the Fal Estuary, with potential risks to seagrass, kelp, maerl beds and the area’s native oyster fishery.
    — David Nikel, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of bed
Noun
  • Packets of fortified peanut paste that cost less than a dollar each can bring a malnourished child back from the brink of death within weeks.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • After his death in 1934, Schilling’s spice company merged with McCormick’s, a Baltimore firm, which remains a leading international food business.
    — Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of death
Noun
  • Cold comfort for Gaza’s two million residents, who remain shut out of the conversation and all but powerless to determine their fate.
    — Andrew Carey, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The debut feature of Dutch-Egyptian filmmaker Ashgan El-Hamus, the film follows the fate of Al Amal, a pregnant young woman living with her extended family in the Egyptian village of Al Baraneya.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of fate
Verb
  • Alarm bells are sounding in Chicago as another family lays a child to rest after an electric scooter collision.
    — Narmeen Khan, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • This week, hundreds of brown pelicans, California gulls and sandpipers rested along the shoreline as waves rolled in.
    — Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of rest
Verb
  • Unlike cows, Garner said, yaks have not had all their wildness bred out of them.
    — David Kelly, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026
  • And as Mike [Van Nostrand] says, if people were breeding more reptiles that may take pressure off of the poachers.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of breed
Noun
  • Other Benefits of Tart Cherry Juice Beyond slumber, the antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds in tart cherry juice can also benefit the body in other profound ways.
    — Randi Gollin, Martha Stewart, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Welcome back to The Times’ Lakers newsletter where the NBA is slipping into its summer slumber.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of slumber
Noun
  • Ronald Exantus was released from Kentucky Department of Corrections custody July 29 after completing the sentence imposed for assaulting Logan Tipton's father and sisters during the 2015 home invasion that left the 6-year-old dead.
    — Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Fire crews soon pronounced the driver of the Ram dead at the scene.
    — Cecilio Padilla, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Definition of dead
Noun
  • Bert shields Stuart from Wil’s deadly fireball, which leads to a magic fight to the death between the two that destroys most of the comic book shop and ends with Wil’s demise.
    — Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 6 Aug. 2026
  • The demise of Canopy is the third floating offshore wind project in California to go by the wayside this year.
    — Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Aug. 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 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sleep

Nglish: Translation of sleep for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sleep

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