oversleep

[ oh-ver-sleep ]

See synonyms for oversleep on Thesaurus.com

verb (used without object),o·ver·slept, o·ver·sleep·ing.

to sleep beyond the proper or intended time of waking: He overslept and missed his train.

verb (used with object),o·ver·slept, o·ver·sleep·ing.

to sleep beyond (a certain hour): She had overslept her usual time of arising.
to let (oneself) sleep past the hour of arising: Of all mornings to oversleep myself!

Origin of oversleep

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at over-, sleep

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use oversleep in a sentence

He resolved not to be so foolish again, and for a time did better; but in a few days he had again overslept.
The value of a praying mother | Isabel C. Byrum
On the night of the 26th all our servants overslept themselves, and I had some difficulty in waking them next morning.
Mount Everest the Reconnaissance, 1921 | Charles Kenneth Howard-Bury
When I awoke I felt the house was extremely quiet and the thought occurred to me that Lee might have overslept.
Warren Commission (3 of 26): Hearings Vol. III (of 15) | The President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy
A conscience that had overslept itself began to stir and waken.
Quin | Alice Hegan Rice
"And you overslept yourself," Captain Paul briskly interrupted, alert as ever to protect the credit of his Company.
Wandering Heath | Sir Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch

British Dictionary definitions for oversleep

oversleep

/ (ˌəʊvəˈsliːp) /

verb-sleeps, -sleeping or -slept

(intr) to sleep beyond the intended time for getting up

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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