sleepy

comparative sleepier · superlative sleepiest · alternative sleeby

1. Tired; feeling the need for sleep.

   She wak'd her sleepy crew.

   1700, [John] Dryden, “Cymon and Iphigenia, from Boccace”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC

   Synonyms: tired

2. Suggesting tiredness.

   1 more example

   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.

   1994, Stephen Fry, chapter 2, in The Hippopotamus

   Synonyms: jaded, weary, bleareyed, bleary, bleary-eyed, bone-tired, bushed, tired out

3. Tending to induce sleep.

   a sleepy drink or potion

   1 more example

   [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.

   1611, Iohn Speed [i.e., John Speed], “Edward the Second, […]”, in The History of Great Britaine under the Conquests of yͤ Romans, Saxons, Danes and Normans. […], London: […] William Hall and John Beale, for John Sudbury and George Humble, […], →OCLC, book IX ([Englands Monarchs] […]), paragraph 49, page 561, column 1

   Synonyms: hypnotic, soporific, dormitive, hypnic, hypnotic, slumberous, somniferous, somnific

4. figurativelyDull; lazy.

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

   1611 April (first recorded performance), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Cymbeline”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene v]

   Synonyms: heavy, sluggish

5. figurativelyQuiet; without bustle or activity.

   a sleepy English village

   4 more examples

   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.

   2021 August 30, “Armed robbers take hostages in deadly bank raids in Brazil city”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 03 Nov 2021

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

   2022 September 23, Pjotr Sauer, Dan Sabbagh, “Border queues build as people flee Russia to escape Putin's call-up”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 11 Mar 2023

   Despite Horwich's international fame as a centre of railway engineering, Horwich station itself was usually quite a sleepy place.

   2023 March 8, Paul Salveson, “Fond farewells to two final trains...”, in Rail, number 978, page 54

   The meeting has put Pakistan at the center of the biggest story in the world, spotlighting its normally sleepy capital that has been preparing for days for high-profile delegations to arrive.

   2026 April 12, Betsy Joles, “No Deal: U.S.-Iran peace talks in Islamabad fall through”, in National Public Radio, Washington, D.C.: National Public Radio, archived from the original on 14 Apr 2026

plural sleepies

1. in pluralinformaluncountableThe gum that builds up in the eye; sleep, gound.

   But the nightdress was heavy, the sleepy in her eyes was heavy, her hair (she made a mustache of one of its locks) was heavy and smelled of cigarettes […]

   1991, Martin Amis, London Fields

   1 more example

   "Did he always leave the sleepy in his eyes?" "Never removed it; let it build up in the comers of his eyes over the weeks until it was heavy enough to fall […]

   1964, Ken Kesey, Sometimes a Great Notion

   Synonyms: sleep

2. AustraliacountableuncountableShingleback.

1. childishTo sleep.

   im going to sleep BEING UP 28 hours is not good for my health so. ill see you all tomorrow!

   2000 August 20, j e s s aka robobitch, “i go sleepy bye”, in alt.fan.hanson (Usenet), archived from the original on 02 Aug 2026

   2 more examples

   Gabe stays up far too late and gets up far too early and spends far too many hours at the studio. Gabe is trying to get his records produced, and to get all his other work done before Gabe flies out to frisco for AES. Gabe go sleepy now.

   1994 November 4, Gabe Wiener, “Micing a solo piano (acoustic)”, in rec.audio.pro (Usenet), archived from the original on 02 Aug 2026

   Other couples will bicker, or flirt, or make out right in front of you. "When the night is about to draw to an end, I'm not really sure if I want to hear the one ask the other, 'Want to go sleepy in the beddie?'" says Jason Scarlatti, a 34-year-old creative director for a Manhattan underwear company.

   2009 November 3, Elizabeth Bernstein, “When Four Play the Dating Game”, in The Wall Street Journal, New York, N.Y.: Dow Jones & Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 26 Jan 2015