- inclined to or needing sleep; drowsy
- characterized by or exhibiting drowsiness, sluggishness, etc
- conducive to sleep; soporific
- without activity or bustle: a sleepy town
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
sleep•y /ˈslipi/USA pronunciation
adj., -i•er, -i•est.
sleep•i•ness, n. [uncountable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- ready to sleep; drowsy:He grew sleepy and dozed off.
- of or showing drowsiness:a sleepy yawn.
- inactive:a sleepy, quiet village.
sleep•i•ness, n. [uncountable]
sleep•y
(slē′pē),USA pronunciation adj., sleep•i•er, sleep•i•est.
sleep′i•ly, adv.
sleep′i•ness, n.
- ready or inclined to sleep;
drowsy. - of or showing drowsiness.
- languid;
languorous:a sleepy gesture. - lethargic;
sluggish:a sleepy brook. - quiet:a sleepy village.
- inducing sleep;
soporific:sleepy warmth.
- 1175–1225; Middle English; see sleep, -y1
sleep′i•ness, n.
- 1. tired, somnolent, slumberous.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
sleepy /ˈsliːpɪ/ adj (sleepier, sleepiest)
'sleepy' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Depp
- drowse
- drowsy
- Irving
- sleeping sickness
- slumberous
- somnolent
- soporific
- bit
- dovecote
- incidence
- jog trot
- nod
- raise
- run
- tire
- tired
- wink
- sandman
- sleepyhead
- Sleepy Hollow chair
- sleepy sickness
- soporose
- subject complement