sleepless

/ˈsliːpləs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsliːpləs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈslēp-ləs/ (ame, mw)

sleepless — adjective

  • sleeplesspositive
  • more sleeplesscomparative
  • most sleeplesssuperlative

1. A sleepless period of time is one in which you get no sleep at all, usually beca

1.形容詞B2
釋義

A sleepless period of time is one in which you get no sleep at all, usually because of worry, excitement, or difficult conditions.

例句

After the earthquake, the whole city had a sleepless night waiting for news.

collocation: sleepless night

The nurse worked through a sleepless shift in the emergency room.

collocation: sleepless shift

同義詞
  • wakeful

    more formal; describes a person who is fully alert and cannot sleep

  • restless

    broader — describes physical inability to stay still, not necessarily sleep-related

反義詞
  • restful

    describes a period that provides rest and relaxation

  • peaceful

    describes a calm, undisturbed night

文法句型

sleepless + night / hours / days

用法筆記

Attributive use only — placed before nouns like 'night', 'hours', or 'days' that describe a period when sleep would normally occur.

常見錯誤

❌I had a sleepless day at the office.
✅I had a sleepless night before the big meeting.
💡Use sleepless for periods when sleep normally happens, not for daytime activities.
❌The baby had a sleepless afternoon.
✅The baby had a restless afternoon.
💡For daytime naps, use 'restless' instead.

2. If you are sleepless, you cannot fall asleep or stay asleep, often because your

2.形容詞B2
釋義

If you are sleepless, you cannot fall asleep or stay asleep, often because your mind is active or you are uncomfortable.

例句

Yuki lay sleepless in bed, thinking about the job offer.

pattern: lie + sleepless

Femi felt hot and sleepless on the humid summer night.

pattern: feel + sleepless

同義詞
  • insomniac

    formal; describes a person with chronic sleep difficulty

  • restless

    broader — involves tossing and turning, may include being sleepless

  • wide awake

    informal; fully alert, not necessarily trying to sleep

反義詞
  • sleepy

    feeling the need to sleep

  • drowsy

    feeling heavy and ready to fall asleep

文法句型

be + sleepless

lie / remain / feel + sleepless

用法筆記

Describes a temporary state. For a chronic inability to sleep, use 'have insomnia' or 'be an insomniac'. Commonly follows linking verbs such as 'lie', 'remain', or 'feel'.

常見錯誤

❌I have been sleepless for two years.
✅I have had insomnia for two years.
💡Sleepless suggests a short-term state, not a long-term condition.
❌She felt sleepless during the movie.
✅She felt sleepy during the movie.
💡Sleepless is about inability to sleep at night, not about being awake during the day.

3. Describes something that is continuously active, never rests, or keeps watch wit

3.形容詞C1
釋義

Describes something that is continuously active, never rests, or keeps watch without stopping — often used in literary or dramatic contexts.

例句

The sleepless city never seemed to quiet down after midnight.

collocation: sleepless city

Baraka's sleepless energy pushed the team to finish the project early.

同義詞
  • restless

    common; suggests inability to stay still

  • unceasing

    formal; describes something that never stops

  • unremitting

    very formal; describes effort or activity that never relaxes

反義詞
  • still

    not moving; calm and quiet

  • dormant

    temporarily inactive, as if asleep

文法句型

sleepless + noun (abstract / place)

用法筆記

Literary or figurative use. Typically modifies abstract nouns (energy, watch, force) or places (city, street). Avoid using with manufactured objects — 'a sleepless machine' sounds unnatural.

常見錯誤

❌The factory machines ran a sleepless operation.
✅The factory machines ran non-stop.
💡The figurative sense is reserved for places, forces, and natural phenomena, not industrial equipment.