Phrase guide

sleep deprivation

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

The condition of being kept awake and not getting enough sleep (as forcibly by someone else, or by a disorder), to the point of noticeably lower alertness.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Examples

  • Sleep deprivation can lead to fatal vehicular accidents.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: sleep dep

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a form of psychological torture inflicted by depriving the victim of sleep

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: torture, torturing

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

9 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 睡眠剝奪 /睡眠剥夺 (shuìmián bōduó) — condition of forcibly being kept awake
  • Finnish: univaje — condition of forcibly being kept awake
  • French: manque de sommeil — condition of forcibly being kept awake
  • French: privation de sommeil — condition of forcibly being kept awake
  • German: Schlafentzug — condition of forcibly being kept awake
  • Hungarian: alvásmegvonás — condition of forcibly being kept awake
  • Hungarian: alváshiány — condition of forcibly being kept awake
  • Polish: deprywacja snu — condition of forcibly being kept awake
  • Russian: депривация сна (deprivacija sna) — condition of forcibly being kept awake