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
1
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 notesIn plain EnglishTo sleep past the time you needed to get up.
Common pairings
oversleep and miss
tend to oversleep
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- oversleeps
- Past tense
- overslept
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Set two alarms so you don't _____ tomorrow.
Etymology
From over- + sleep, going back to Old English ofer- ("over") and slǣpan ("to sleep").
Antonyms
undersleep
Rhymes for oversleep
See all rhymes for oversleep →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").
