adj, slang ·Common ·High school level

Definitions

Adjective

1. 1
   In a state of sleep; also, broadly, resting. not-comparable, predicative

   "I was asleep when you called."

2. 2
   Inattentive. not-comparable, predicative, slang

   "How could you miss that? Were you asleep?"

3. 3
   Having a numb or prickling sensation accompanied by a degree of unresponsiveness. not-comparable, predicative

   "My arm fell asleep. You know, like pins and needles."

4. 4
   Dead. euphemistic, not-comparable, predicative

Adjective

1. 1
   dead wordnet
2. 2
   in a state of sleep wordnet
3. 3
   lacking sensation wordnet

Adverb

1. 1
   into a sleeping state wordnet
2. 2
   in the sleep of death wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms

at restbenumbeddormantsleepingsound asleepa stranger to

Antonyms

All antonyms

animateawakeconscious

Example

More examples

"I was so excited that I could not fall asleep."

Etymology

From Middle English aslepe, equivalent to a- (“in, on”) + sleep.

Related phrases

asleep at the switchasleep at the wheeldead asleepevery shut eye isn't asleepfall asleepfall asleep in the Lordfalling asleepfast asleephalf-asleepsound asleepasleep at switchgo to sleep

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.