verb

oversleep

oh-vuh-SLEEP

Oversleep (verb) means to sleep for longer than you meant to, missing the time you were supposed to wake up. Example: “I overslept and missed the first meeting of the day.”

verb

To sleep for longer than you meant to, missing the time you were supposed to wake up.

"I overslept and missed the first meeting of the day."

"Set two alarms so you don't oversleep tomorrow."

How to use oversleep

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo sleep past the time you needed to get up.

Common pairings

oversleep and miss tend to oversleep

Word forms

overslept past tense, oversleeps singular

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Set two alarms so you don't _____ tomorrow.

Etymology

From over- + sleep, going back to Old English ofer- ("over") and slǣpan ("to sleep").

Origin: Old English

Antonyms

undersleep

Rhymes for oversleep

eep keep weep deep seep peep Jeep beep meep creep sheep sleep

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Frequently asked questions

What does “oversleep” mean?

The word “oversleep” means to sleep for longer than you meant to, missing the time you were supposed to wake up. In plain terms, to sleep past the time you needed to get up.

How do you pronounce “oversleep”?

“Oversleep” is pronounced oh-vuh-SLEEP (/oʊvəɹˈslip/ in IPA).

How do you use “oversleep” in a sentence?

Here is “oversleep” used in a sentence: “Set two alarms so you don't oversleep tomorrow.”

What is the opposite of “oversleep”?

The opposite of “oversleep” — its antonyms — is undersleep.

What part of speech is “oversleep”?

“Oversleep” is a verb.

Where does the word “oversleep” come from?

The word “oversleep” comes from Old English. From over- + sleep, going back to Old English ofer- ("over") and slǣpan ("to sleep").