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
When war breaks out, he is shaken from his sleep and runs for an air-raid shelter. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026 The study also found that greater night-to-night sleep irregularity and more wakefulness during the night were associated with higher risks of several conditions, including anxiety and substance use disorders. — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
As another option, travelers who begin their journey wearing contacts can switch to glasses before sleeping or partway through the flight, Kattouf suggested. — Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026 Another level down, the lower deck offers three VIP and one guest cabin that can collectively sleep up to 10, along with crew quarters for up to six. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 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
  • In September, every ward in Sylhet's 100-bed Shahid Shamsuddin Ahmed Hospital, which is treating measles, appeared overwhelmed.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Because whenever the topic of Orange County’s ever-filling green spring of bed-tax money is discussed, shenanigans seem to proliferate.
    — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of bed
Noun
  • The death of actor and disability rights advocate RJ Mitte was met with a wave of grief from his Breaking Bad co-stars, who shared memories of Mitte following the tragedy.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Pavlovsky worked alongside Karl Lagerfeld until his death in 2019; Virginie Viard from 2019 to 2024, and Matthieu Blazy since April 2025.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of death
Noun
  • Told in the course of four decades, and alternating between the perspectives of the couple’s colleagues and children, friends and lovers, Orringer’s novel examines justice, truth, fate, and freedom.
    — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • Some investors are wondering whether Italy could face a similar fate as the country considers widening its budget deficit.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of fate
Verb
  • They were laid to rest at Ho Chi Minh City Martyrs’ Cemetery in the city previously known as Saigon.
    — Aniruddha Ghosal, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
  • However, with each Champions League victory crucial to progressing toward the next round, neither would want to rest their big guns, either.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of rest
Verb
  • In contrast, peregrine falcons that breed in Alaska migrate almost directly south, dispersing across the Americas to wintering grounds that extend as far as southern South America.
    — Amy L. Scarpignato, The Conversation, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Co-founder Fabian Hedin says Lovable wants to breed unicorns, especially from the minds of entrepreneurs who’ve never learned a programming language.
    — Martin Cizmar, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of breed
Noun
  • Rooms are kitted with slumber-inducing mattresses and lavender-scented eye masks.
    — Lindsay Cohn, Vogue, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The Chicago Cubs picked a bad time to go into an offensive slumber.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of slumber
Noun
  • According to Wayúu custom, only women are allowed to touch their dead.
    — Nathan Jaccard, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026
  • In the spring just before or just as new growth emerges, remove the mulch and cut the remaining dead stems down to ground level or a few inches above the soil line.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of dead
Noun
  • Above all, the election could herald the political demise of Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving PM, who has led the nation for all but 18 months since 2009.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Columnist Bill Plaschke wrote how a team with seemingly every advantage fell short, beat writer Maddie Lee documented what led to the demise, while columnist Bill Shaikin provided updates to several questions on the team’s future.
    — Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 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 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on sleep

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sleep

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