sleepwalk: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Neutral to formal; medical/psychological contexts.
Quick answer
What does “sleepwalk” mean?
To walk around while still asleep.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To walk around while still asleep; a parasomnia where a person gets up and moves during deep sleep.
To act, proceed, or function in a drowsy, automatic, or unthinking manner; to navigate a situation without conscious awareness or deliberate effort.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical difference. The verb-noun combination is standard. The noun form 'sleepwalking' is universally used.
Connotations
Identical in both varieties. Carries connotations of unconsciousness, danger, or automation.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English in figurative usage (e.g., 'sleepwalk through a crisis').
Grammar
How to Use “sleepwalk” in a Sentence
SUBJ sleepwalkSUBJ sleepwalk through OBJ (figurative)SUBJ sleepwalk into OBJ (figurative)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sleepwalk” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The child would sometimes sleepwalk into the garden.
- We must not sleepwalk into a no-deal Brexit.
American English
- He has been known to sleepwalk when overly stressed.
- The team sleepwalked through the first half of the season.
adverb
British English
- He moved sleepwalkingly towards the door. (rare)
American English
- She answered the question almost sleepwalkingly. (rare)
adjective
British English
- A sleepwalk episode
- Sleepwalk behaviour is more common in children.
American English
- A sleepwalk incident
- She was in a sleepwalk state.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used figuratively to criticize a company or leader for lacking strategy: 'The board seems to be sleepwalking into this merger.'
Academic
Used in psychology/medicine to describe the parasomnia disorder.
Everyday
Describing someone who got up and moved while asleep: 'I found him sleepwalking in the hall last night.'
Technical
Clinical term for somnambulism; a NREM parasomnia.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “sleepwalk”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “sleepwalk”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sleepwalk”
- Using it as a transitive verb (*'He sleepwalked the room'). Incorrect: 'She is a sleepwalker' (correct) vs. 'She is a sleepwalk' (incorrect).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is standardly written as one word (a closed compound). 'Sleep walk' is incorrect.
Yes, though less common (e.g., 'He had a sleepwalk last night'). The gerund 'sleepwalking' is the more frequent noun form.
'Somnambulate' is the formal, Latinate medical term. 'Sleepwalk' is the everyday English word. They are synonymous.
Typically yes, it criticises a person or group for being passive, unthinking, or unaware of impending danger.
To walk around while still asleep.
Sleepwalk is usually neutral to formal; medical/psychological contexts. in register.
Sleepwalk: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsliːp.wɔːk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsliːp.wɑːk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Sleepwalk through life”
- “Sleepwalk into disaster”
- “Sleepwalk to victory (ironic)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: SLEEP + WALK. You literally WALK while you are in a state of SLEEP.
Conceptual Metaphor
UNCONSCIOUS BEHAVIOUR IS SLEEPWALKING (e.g., 'The government is sleepwalking into a recession').
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary implication of the figurative use of 'sleepwalk'?