1
: one that sleeps
2
: a piece of timber, stone, or steel on or near the ground to support a superstructure, keep railroad rails in place, or receive floor joists : stringpiece
3
4
: someone or something unpromising or unnoticed that suddenly attains prominence or value
the low-budget film became the summer's sleeper
5
: children's pajamas usually with feet
—usually used in plural
6
chiefly British
: a small earring or stud worn to keep the hole of a pierced ear from closing
Examples of sleeper in a Sentence
Sleepers were awakened by the sound of a loud crash.
He may turn out to be the sleeper in this year's election.
The movie was the summer's sleeper.
The movie became the sleeper hit of the summer.
Recent Examples on the Web
Gracey’s most notable credit, the 2018 P.T. Barnum musical biopic The Greatest Showman, was dead on box-office arrival but slowly and gradually built up steam to become a sleeper hit.
—
Chris Lee, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2025
Where Season 1 thrived on discovery — not only the grand revelation of each new game, including their rules and customs, but also a sleeper hit that caught on by word of mouth rather than pre-release hype — Season 2 survives by knowing there’s less to discover.
—Tony Maglio, IndieWire, 16 Jan. 2025
Insomnia sleepers experience short sleep cycles and higher levels of daytime fatigue.
—Julianna Bragg, CNN, 15 Jan. 2025
Sijo: Up to 15% Off Sijo is known for making eucalyptus sheets with a subtle satin shine while being velvety and breathable (important for the hot sleepers among us).
—Bailey Berg, Architectural Digest, 14 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for sleeper 
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Chris Lee, Vulture, 16 Jan. 2025
Where Season 1 thrived on discovery — not only the grand revelation of each new game, including their rules and customs, but also a sleeper hit that caught on by word of mouth rather than pre-release hype — Season 2 survives by knowing there’s less to discover.
—Tony Maglio, IndieWire, 16 Jan. 2025
Insomnia sleepers experience short sleep cycles and higher levels of daytime fatigue.
—Julianna Bragg, CNN, 15 Jan. 2025
Sijo: Up to 15% Off Sijo is known for making eucalyptus sheets with a subtle satin shine while being velvety and breathable (important for the hot sleepers among us).
—Bailey Berg, Architectural Digest, 14 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for sleeper
Dictionary Entries Near sleeper
Cite this Entry
“Sleeper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sleeper. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sleeper
noun
sleep·er
ˈslē-pər 
1
: one that sleeps
2
: a horizontal beam to support something on or near ground level
3
4
: someone or something considered unlikely to succeed that suddenly becomes successful
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