asleep

1 of 2

adjective

1
: being in a state of sleep
2
: dead
3
: lacking sensation : numb
4
b
: not alert : indifferent

asleep

2 of 2

adverb

1
: into a state of sleep
2
: into the sleep of death
3
: into a state of inactivity, sluggishness, or indifference

Examples of asleep in a Sentence

Adjective “Are you asleep?” “No, I'm awake.” He tries to clean up the house while the kids are asleep. The cats are asleep on the floor. She was still asleep at noon.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
On a recent night, a woman named Robin was asleep next to her husband, Steve, in their Brooklyn home, when her phone buzzed on the bedside table. Charles Bethea, The New Yorker, 7 Mar. 2024 The crash was reported around 3:30 a.m. Sunday by two men who had been asleep at a campsite near the island’s southernmost point. Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 28 Feb. 2024 Each female guest was asleep and reported waking up to find Gonzales touching their feet, according to The Sacramento Bee’s previous reporting. Ishani Desai, Sacramento Bee, 28 Feb. 2024 Tornadoes that occur after dark can be more dangerous because so many people are asleep. Julie Bosman, New York Times, 27 Feb. 2024 The children and their aunt were still asleep when the building was hit. Sarah Ferguson, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024 According to Elsey, Woll was likely asleep in her living room when her security system detected motion at 4:20 a.m. Detroit Free Press, 23 Feb. 2024 His friends – who Andy and Rhonda described as children who could not possibly know the gravity of the situation – did not call 911, instead texting Cruz’s sister, who was asleep, to check on him. Jenna Barackman, Kansas City Star, 23 Feb. 2024 Netflix and Downton [Abbey] and we very easily binge when the kids are asleep. Nasha Smith, Peoplemag, 14 Feb. 2024
Adverb
Whether from a mental health disorder or periodic stress, managing anxiety—and learning ways to fall back asleep—can be a critical part of maintaining your overall health. Mark Gurarie, Health, 23 Sep. 2023 Panel three: Garfield has fallen back asleep, a tell-tale Z suspended above his head. Jeremy Gordon, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2023 Mike Barber was helping his 8-year-old son fall back asleep. Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2023 But be careful napping within five hours of your bedtime, Feinsilver cautions, as this may disrupt your ability to fall asleep later. Amanda MacMillan, Outside Online, 15 Sep. 2014 The way the teenager glides on the football field gives Jones chills, just like the kid’s ability to fall asleep nearly anywhere off it. Jonathan Abrams, New York Times, 19 Sep. 2022 Heather Dawes took a photo of father and son, making sure not to awaken one-year-old Finis, who had fallen asleep strapped to her chest at the start of the hike. Alex Temblador, Outside Online, 11 Aug. 2021 To launch the new theme, there’ll be a new program of four 20-minute sessions to help users relax and fall asleep more easily. Victoria Song, The Verge, 5 Jan. 2023 So sit back, relax, and fall asleep faster with these delectable delicacies. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 15 Dec. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'asleep.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English aslepe, from Old English on slæpe

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of asleep was in the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near asleep

Cite this Entry

“Asleep.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/asleep. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

asleep

1 of 2 adjective
1
: being in a state of sleep
2
: lacking sensation : numb
my foot was asleep

asleep

2 of 2 adverb
: into a state of sleep

Medical Definition

asleep

1 of 2 adjective
1
: being in a state of sleep
2
: lacking sensation : numb

asleep

2 of 2 adverb
: into a state of sleep

More from Merriam-Webster on asleep

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