adj
Common
sleeping
SLEE-pihng
Sleeping (adj) means Currently asleep. Example: “Try not to wake the sleeping baby.”
adj
1
Currently asleep.
"We found a sleeping child inside the church."
"Try not to wake the sleeping baby."
"The sleeping cat did not move when the vacuum cleaner started."
"We tiptoed past the sleeping children and closed the door softly."
2
Used for or intended to produce sleep.
"She packed a sleeping bag and a pillow for the camping trip."
"The train has a sleeping car with small private beds."
"He keeps a spare sleeping bag in the boot of his car."
How to use sleeping
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBeing asleep, or designed to help someone sleep.
Common pairings
sleeping bag
sleeping pill
sleeping child
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Word forms
- Plural
- sleepings
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Try not to wake the _____ baby.
Related words
Rhymes for sleeping
weeping
peeping
keeping
beeping
seeping
creeping
sweeping
bleeping
beekeeping
safekeeping
bookkeeping
peacekeeping
See all rhymes for sleeping →
Frequently asked questions
What does “sleeping” mean?
The word “sleeping” means currently asleep. In plain terms, being asleep, or designed to help someone sleep.
How do you pronounce “sleeping”?
“Sleeping” is pronounced SLEE-pihng (/ˈsliːpɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “sleeping” in a sentence?
Here is “sleeping” used in a sentence: “Try not to wake the sleeping baby.”
What part of speech is “sleeping”?
“Sleeping” is an adjective.
Is “sleeping” a common word?
“Sleeping” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “sleeping” have?
“Sleeping” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: currently asleep.
What is the difference between sleeping and asleep?
They mean the same state but work differently in a sentence. Asleep is used after the verb, as in she is asleep, and rarely before a noun. Sleeping can do both: it describes the ongoing action, and it sits before a noun, as in a sleeping child or sleeping dog.
What is an example of 'sleeping' used as an adjective?
For example: 'Try not to wake the sleeping baby.' Here sleeping describes the baby's current state. The same pattern appears in a sleeping passenger or sleeping cat. Figuratively, a sleeping giant means a powerful force that is inactive but could awaken.
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