sleepy

[ slee-pee ]

adjective

, sleep·i·er, sleep·i·est.

1. ready or inclined to sleep; drowsy.

   Synonyms: slumberous, somnolent, tired

2. of or showing drowsiness.
3. languid; languorous:

   a sleepy gesture.

4. lethargic; sluggish:

   a sleepy brook.

5. quiet:

   a sleepy village.

6. inducing sleep; soporific:

   sleepy warmth.

sleepy

/ ˈsliːpɪ /

adjective

1. inclined to or needing sleep; drowsy
2. characterized by or exhibiting drowsiness, sluggishness, etc
3. conducive to sleep; soporific
4. without activity or bustle

   a sleepy town

Derived Forms

• ˈsleepily, adverb
• ˈsleepiness, noun

Other Words From

• sleepi·ly adverb
• sleepi·ness noun
• un·sleepy adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sleepy¹

Middle English word dating back to 1175–1225; sleep, -y ¹

Example Sentences

Last month, Bradley was sent home from school after complaining about feeling sleepy.

From BBC

After an expensive and acrimonious primary battle among Democrats, the general election race for the seat was sleepy, bordering on dull.

From Los Angeles Times

"The attorney general - usually a sleepy backwater of an office - was now home to a rising star."

From BBC

“I don’t know if you’ve been walking around here,” he said, gesturing to the sleepy streets between downtown and Lake Merritt, where many businesses have closed or appeared devoid of customers on what should have been a bustling weekday afternoon.

From Los Angeles Times

In the first big taste of what's to come from the pop star's seventh album, Gaga puts herself on blast in the video for the first single, where terrible things transpire in what would otherwise appear to be a sleepy suburb stalked by one version of herself with bloodshot eyes that could really use an ointment of some sort.

From Salon

Related Words

• drowsy
• lethargic
• listless
• quiet
• sluggish