# asleep

/əˈsɫip/ (US) · /ɐslˈiːp/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/asleep
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. sleeping

adjective · CEFR A2

sleeping and not awake.

For teachers: in a state of sleep; used as a predicative adjective following a verb like 'be' or 'fall'.

- The children were fast asleep by the time we got home.
- The exhausted hikers fell asleep almost immediately after setting up their tents, oblivious to the storm brewing outside.

Usage: Always used after a verb (predicative); never placed directly before a noun.

### 2. numb or tingling

adjective · CEFR B2

when a part of your body, like a foot, feels tingly because you sat on it too long.

For teachers: referring to a limb experiencing a numb or prickling sensation due to temporary nerve compression.

- I sat on my leg for so long that my foot is asleep.
- He tried to stand up quickly but stumbled because his left leg was completely asleep from sitting cross-legged on the floor.

### 3. not paying attention

adjective · CEFR C1 · Informal

not noticing what is happening around you.

For teachers: inattentive or failing to react to a situation; often used in the phrase 'asleep at the wheel'.

- The security guard was asleep on the job and didn't see the thief.
- The management team was clearly asleep at the wheel while their competitors were busy capturing the entire local market.

Teaching tip: Commonly used in the idiomatic expression 'asleep at the wheel' to describe professional or situational negligence.

### 4. dead

adjective · CEFR C2 · Formal · Literary

a very soft way to say that someone has died.

For teachers: a euphemistic term for being deceased, implying a state of eternal rest.

- The old poet is now asleep in the churchyard.
- The inscription on the headstone noted that the soldier was now asleep in the arms of his creator.

Teaching tip: This sense is highly sensitive and mostly found in older literature or religious contexts; use 'passed away' for a standard modern euphemism.

## Examples

- The baby is finally asleep in her crib.
- I fell asleep on the sofa while watching the movie and woke up with a stiff neck.
- The protagonist remains asleep during the opening scene, a choice that emphasizes his initial passivity before the chaotic events of the plot force him into action.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.