sleeping 1 of 3

sleeping

2 of 3

noun

sleeping

3 of 3

verb

present participle of sleep
1
as in napping
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in breeding
to engage in sexual intercourse if I don't read the tabloids, how will I know who is sleeping with whom this week?

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for sleeping
Adjective
  • Most residents in the beachfront luxury condominium at Surfside were asleep in their beds when their 12-story residential building shuddered and then collapsed, pinning sleeping residents between the heavy concrete slabs of each floor.
    Bruce Strom, Sun Sentinel, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Screaming for help Most people in the Plum Bay neighborhood were asleep before dawn on Sunday, Feb. 16.
    Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • With this new year, consider planning some fresh ways to cater to your creativity—and lean in to the importance of resting.
    Essence, Essence, 7 Jan. 2025
  • But the infection typically does improve with resting, drinking fluids and over-the-counter medication.
    Christina Shaw, Fox News, 7 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • The post also shows Sophia napping on their couch surrounded by Santa hats, and a variety of homemade gifts made for one another.
    Emma Aerin Becker, People.com, 27 Dec. 2024
  • The discovery of this titanic napping black hole is a breakthrough for this theory.
    Robert Lea, Space.com, 18 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Similarly, a fractional COO could focus on scaling operations during a rapid growth phase and lay dormant during less operationally challenging times.
    Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025
  • The real culprits, of course, are those bio-raptors who have a severe allergic reaction to light, and (much like certain species of cicada) have lain dormant for years on end.
    Richard Edwards, Space.com, 2 Apr. 2025
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Sleeping.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sleeping. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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