asleep
- 01 A2 Elementary
sleeping and not awake.
in a state of sleep; used as a predicative adjective following a verb like 'be' or 'fall'.
Simple“The children were fast asleep by the time we got home.”
In context“The exhausted hikers fell asleep almost immediately after setting up their tents, oblivious to the storm brewing outside.”
UsageAlways used after a verb (predicative); never placed directly before a noun.
PitfallThe asleep baby is very cute. The sleeping baby is very cute.You cannot use 'asleep' before a noun. Use 'sleeping' before the noun, or put 'asleep' after the verb: 'The baby is asleep.'
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
when a part of your body, like a foot, feels tingly because you sat on it too long.
referring to a limb experiencing a numb or prickling sensation due to temporary nerve compression.
Simple“I sat on my leg for so long that my foot is asleep.”
In context“He tried to stand up quickly but stumbled because his left leg was completely asleep from sitting cross-legged on the floor.”
- 03 C1 Advanced
not noticing what is happening around you.
inattentive or failing to react to a situation; often used in the phrase 'asleep at the wheel'.
Simple“The security guard was asleep on the job and didn't see the thief.”
In context“The management team was clearly asleep at the wheel while their competitors were busy capturing the entire local market.”
Teacher's tipCommonly used in the idiomatic expression 'asleep at the wheel' to describe professional or situational negligence.
- 04 C2 Proficiency
a very soft way to say that someone has died.
a euphemistic term for being deceased, implying a state of eternal rest.
Simple“The old poet is now asleep in the churchyard.”
In context“The inscription on the headstone noted that the soldier was now asleep in the arms of his creator.”
Teacher's tipThis sense is highly sensitive and mostly found in older literature or religious contexts; use 'passed away' for a standard modern euphemism.
asleep vs sleepy — Asleep describes the state of being in slumber, while sleepy describes the physical urge or desire to begin sleeping.
From Middle English aslepe, equivalent to a- (“in, on”) + sleep.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.