sleepless

[ sleep-lis ]

adjective

1. without sleep:

   a sleepless night.

2. watchful; alert:

   sleepless devotion to duty.

3. always active:

   the sleepless ocean.

sleepless

/ ˈsliːplɪs /

adjective

1. without sleep or rest

   a sleepless journey

2. unable to sleep
3. always watchful or alert
4. poetic.
   always active or moving

   the sleepless tides

Derived Forms

• ˈsleeplessly, adverb
• ˈsleeplessness, noun

Other Words From

• sleepless·ly adverb
• sleepless·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sleepless¹

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; sleep, -less

Example Sentences

A Welsh farmer has had sleepless nights and been left feeling "angry and scared" since changes to inheritance tax rules were announced.

From BBC

With nowhere else to go, Hassan took his family to the seaside, where they spent a sleepless night squeezed together in the car.

From BBC

The bags underneath speak of sleepless nights, the hours of tension traversing the dangerous roads and negotiating checkpoints with armed men.

From BBC

In Beirut, although strikes mostly land in the southern suburbs, where Hezbollah dominates, they send shockwaves across the city - resulting in sleepless nights.

From BBC

“I missed those first smiles, the bonding time, and even the sleepless nights that, in hindsight, I wish I could have shared more fully with my partner.”

From Salon

Related Words

• fidgety