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to sleep on
01
to postpone making a decision until the next day or a later time, often to think about it more
Transitive
Grammatical Information
Composition
phrasal
Action verb
Regular
Inseparable
Particle
on
Base verb
sleep
Present tense
sleep on
3rd person singular
sleeps on
Present participle
sleeping on
Past simple
slept on
Past participle
slept on
Examples
Rather than rushing into an agreement, they decided to sleep on the partnership offer and reconvene later.
02
to ignore or undervalue someone or something
Slang
What does "to sleep on" mean in slang?
It is used to describe ignoring or undervaluing someone or something, often missing out on their potential or quality until later realization. People typically say "Don't sleep on this album" or "I slept on him for years, but he's actually talented." The term originated in African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and hip hop culture during the 1990s, later spreading into mainstream slang, sports commentary, and social media.
Examples
People are really sleeping on that restaurant down the street.
