1
: one that sleeps
2
: a piece of timber, stone, or steel on or near the ground to support a superstructure, keep railroad rails in place, or receive floor joists : stringpiece
3
4
: someone or something unpromising or unnoticed that suddenly attains prominence or value
the low-budget film became the summer's sleeper
5
: children's pajamas usually with feet
—usually used in plural
6
chiefly British
: a small earring or stud worn to keep the hole of a pierced ear from closing
Examples of sleeper in a Sentence
Sleepers were awakened by the sound of a loud crash.
He may turn out to be the sleeper in this year's election.
The movie was the summer's sleeper.
The movie became the sleeper hit of the summer.
Recent Examples on the Web
Other carriages have sleeper cabins with anywhere from one to six beds, which likely fold up when not in use.
—
Albert Stumm, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2024
One 4-year-old slept on the 8-inch version after graduating from his toddler bed and didn't toss and turn throughout the night (his mom and grandma say the mattress is comfy for side sleepers, too).
—Phoebe Sklansky, Parents, 24 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for sleeper 
Albert Stumm, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 May 2024
One 4-year-old slept on the 8-inch version after graduating from his toddler bed and didn't toss and turn throughout the night (his mom and grandma say the mattress is comfy for side sleepers, too).
—Phoebe Sklansky, Parents, 24 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for sleeper
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'sleeper.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near sleeper
Cite this Entry
“Sleeper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sleeper. Accessed 1 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
sleeper
noun
sleep·er
ˈslē-pər 
1
: one that sleeps
2
: a horizontal beam to support something on or near ground level
3
4
: someone or something considered unlikely to succeed that suddenly becomes successful
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