How to pronounce sleepless
Say it like SLEE-plus. Sleepless has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SLEE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce sleepless. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SLEE
- plus
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sleepless pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SLEESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- plusKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of sleepless
American and British speakers say sleepless in essentially the same way: /ˈslipləs/ in the US and /ˈsliːpləs/ in the UK.
British respelling: SLEE-plus.
What does sleepless mean?
- Characterized by an absence of sleep: wakeful.“I spent a sleepless night worrying about the exams.”
Where does sleepless come from?
From Middle English slepeles, from Old English slǣplēas; equivalent to sleep + -less.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying sleepless
How do you pronounce sleepless?
Say SLEE-plus. The American pronunciation is /ˈslipləs/. In British English it is /ˈsliːpləs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in sleepless?
Sleepless has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SLEE). Broken into parts: SLEE · plus.
Do Americans and Brits say sleepless the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈslipləs/ and the British form is /ˈsliːpləs/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.