sleepyheaded

1 5.3

Very tired and unable to keep your eyes open

adjective
/ˈsliːpiˌhɛdɪd/

: somnoliento

He always gets sleepyheaded during afternoon meetings, struggling to stay awake.

Examples

"This other person," she said at last, "is sort of sleepyheaded."

Fiction book (1993)
After a long day, I felt completely sleepyheaded and wanted to take a nap.
The warm weather made her feel sleepyheaded and ready for a cozy sleep.

Synonyms

tired

vssleepyheaded

∞ 1.0

Needing rest or sleep because you have little energy

is more immediate, showing an urgent need to fall asleep

sleepy

vssleepyheaded

142 1.0

Feeling very tired and wanting to close your eyes

is stronger, meaning very close to falling asleep immediately

drowsy

vssleepyheaded

22 2.7

Feeling sleepy and not fully awake, often because you are tired or bored

is more intense, showing a stronger urge to fall asleep immediately

lethargic

vssleepyheaded

15 5.3

Being very tired and slow with little interest or energy

is more about low energy and inactivity rather than an immediate desire to sleep

bleary-eyed

vssleepyheaded

5 5.3

Having eyes that look tired from not enough sleep

is about how someone feels deeply ready to sleep, not just how the eyes appear

dopey

vssleepyheaded

Informal

3 4.0

Feeling sleepy, slow, and not very alert

is mainly about a strong need to sleep rather than general sluggishness

somnolent

vssleepyheaded

Formal

2 8.4

Feeling sleepy or making you want to sleep

is more immediate and felt as very close to sleeping

overtired

vssleepyheaded

2 3.4

Too sleepy to relax or fall asleep

is about being ready to fall asleep rather than dangerously exhausted

dozy

vssleepyheaded

1 4.3

Sleepy and likely to fall asleep

is stronger, almost at the point of falling asleep suddenly

zonked

vssleepyheaded

Informal

1 9.1

Very tired, asleep, or feeling the effect of alcohol

is less extreme, meaning near sleep rather than total exhaustion or drug effect

sleepy-eyed

vssleepyheaded

1 4.0

Having eyes that look tired and like you want to close them

is about the person's internal, very strong desire to fall asleep not just eye signs

snoozy

vssleepyheaded

Informal

1 4.6

Feeling sleepy or making you want to sleep

is less informal and expresses a stronger urge to sleep

slumbery

vssleepyheaded

Archaic

9.9

Having a sleepy, calm feeling that makes you relax

is modern and commonly used for a strong, immediate need to sleep

slumberous

vssleepyheaded

Literature

7.6

Calm and quiet in a way that makes you feel sleepy

is about actually feeling very close to sleep rather than causing it

slumbrous

vssleepyheaded

Literature

9.9

A calm, quiet mood that makes you feel sleepy

is focused on the person's immediate urge to sleep rather than mood

Antonyms

alert

137 3.5

A state of being ready and watchful for possible danger

How Sleepy

sleepyheaded

1 5.3

drowsy

22 2.7

sleepy

142 1.0

dozy

1 4.3

Surface Forms

sleepyheaded positive

Morphology

sleepyheaded = sleepyhead (semi-transparent) = sleep + head + y + ed

The adjective is recognizably formed from the noun 'sleepyhead' plus -ed, but the result is a lexicalized colloquial description rather than a fully regular compositional phrase.

Etymology

The word sleepyheaded combines sleepy ('tired') and headed (from head, meaning 'the mind or state'). So it paints the image of someone whose head is full of sleep, which is why it means feeling very drowsy.