Meanings
adjectiveasleep (not comparable)
- not comparablepredicativeIn a state of sleep; also, broadly, resting.
Never disturb a man asleep.
1 more example
I was asleep when you called.
- not comparablepredicativeslangInattentive.
How could you miss that? Were you asleep?
1 more example
The reason they call it the American Dream is because you have to be asleep to believe it.
1997, George Carlin, Brain Droppings, New York: Hyperion Books, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, →OL, page 83 - not comparablepredicativeHaving a numb or prickling sensation accompanied by a degree of unresponsiveness.
My arm fell asleep. You know, like pins and needles.
1 more example
Louisa sat in the car crying, until her foot fell asleep. She shook her foot violently, afraid the numbness would turn to frostbite.
2003, Norma L. Bronoski, Nuns Don't Dance - euphemisticnot comparablepredicativeDead.
Synonyms & antonyms
Opposite
Broader
Narrower
Very asleepdead asleepfast asleepsound asleepzonkedSlightly asleepadozehalf-asleephalf-awakeActivity whilst asleepsomnambulantsomnambulicsomnambulisticsomniloquous
adjectivein a state of sleep
Opposite
adjectivelacking sensation
Similar
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Middle Englishaslepe
- Englishasleep
From Middle English aslepe, equivalent to a- (“in, on”) + sleep.
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans aan die slaap
- aan die slaapin a state of sleep
Arabic نَائِم
- نَائِم (nāʔim)in a state of sleep
Bulgarian заспал, спящ
- заспал (zaspal)in a state of sleep
- спящ (spjašt)in a state of sleep
- изтръпнал (iztrăpnal)numb or prickling
Catalan adormit, adormit
- adormitin a state of sleep
- adormitinattentive
- adormitnumb or prickling
Chinese Mandarin 睡著的, 睡着的
- 睡著的in a state of sleep
- 睡着的 (shuìzháo de)in a state of sleep
- 熟睡 (shúshuì)in a state of sleep
Dutch slapend
- slapendin a state of sleep
Esperanto dormanta
- dormantain a state of sleep
Finnish unessa, nukuksissa
- unessain a state of sleep
- nukuksissain a state of sleep
- nukkumassain a state of sleep
- nukuksiinin a state of sleep
- nukkuvain a state of sleep
- unessainattentive
- nukuksissainattentive
- puutunutnumb or prickling
- tunnotonnumb or prickling
- turtanumb or prickling
French endormi
- endormiin a state of sleep
German schlafend, eingeschlafen
- schlafendin a state of sleep
- eingeschlafennumb or prickling
Greek κοιμισμένος, αποκοιμισμένος
- κοιμισμένος (koimisménos)in a state of sleep
- αποκοιμισμένος (apokoimisménos)in a state of sleep
- κοιμισμένος (koimisménos)inattentive
- μουδιασμένος (moudiasménos)numb or prickling
Hebrew ישן, ישן
- ישן (yashén)in a state of sleep
- ישן (yashén)inattentive
- רדום (radúm)inattentive
- רדום (radúm)numb or prickling
Hungarian alszik, elzsibbadt, el van zsibbadva
- alszikin a state of sleep
- elzsibbadt, el van zsibbadvanumb or prickling
Irish i do chodladh
- i do chodladhin a state of sleep
Italian addormentato, addormentato
- addormentatoin a state of sleep
- addormentatoinattentive
Japanese 寝ている, 眠っている
- 寝ている (nete iru)in a state of sleep
- 眠っている (nemutte iru)in a state of sleep
- 熟睡 (jukusui)in a state of sleep
- 痺れた (shibireta)numb or prickling
Korean 잠들다, 저리다
- 잠들다 (jamdeulda)in a state of sleep
- 저리다 (jeorida)numb or prickling
Latin dormiēns, cubitus
- dormiēnsin a state of sleep
- cubitusinattentive
- cuboinattentive
Māori kerekerewai, kēkerewai
- kerekerewainumb or prickling
- kēkerewainumb or prickling
- mātorutorunumb or prickling
Persian خوابیده
- خوابیده (xâbide)in a state of sleep
Polish uśpiony, śpiący
- uśpionyin a state of sleep
- śpiącyin a state of sleep
Portuguese dormindo, dormindo
- dormindoin a state of sleep
- dormindoinattentive
- dormentenumb or prickling
Romanian adormit
- adormitin a state of sleep
Russian спя́щий, усну́вший
- спя́щий (spjáščij)in a state of sleep
- усну́вший (usnúvšij)in a state of sleep
- вя́лый (vjályj)inattentive
- затёкший (zatjókšij)numb or prickling
Spanish dormido, jato
- dormidoin a state of sleep
- jatoin a state of sleep
- dormidoinattentive
- dormidonumb or prickling
Tagalog tulog
- tulogin a state of sleep
Thai หลับ
- หลับ (làp)in a state of sleep
Ukrainian спля́чий
- спля́чий (spljáčyj)in a state of sleep
Urdu خوابیدہ
- خوابیدہ (xwābidah or xābidah)in a state of sleep
Welsh ynghwsg
- ynghwsgin a state of sleep
Yiddish שלאָפֿן
- שלאָפֿן (shlofn)in a state of sleep
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with asleep
keepdeepsleepsheepleapsweepsteepreapbeeppeepweepcheepbleepSandeepseepeepmeepneapSundeepgeepsneapoversleepaheapas you sow, so shall you reap
All rhymes →Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
asleep. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/asleep
MLA
“asleep.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/asleep. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “asleep,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/asleep.
Source: asleep on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.