slumber
gb/slˈʌmbɚ/ us/slˈʌmbɚ/
B2
English
~ 26200
szunnyad, szunnyadás, pangás
VERB
B2
LITERARY
1
szunnyad
C1
Usage pattern:
[someone] slumbers
The children slumbered upstairs while the guests talked late into the night.
A gyerekek az emeleten szunnyadtak, miközben a vendégek késő éjszakáig beszélgettek.
He slumbered in the armchair, unaware of the storm outside.
A karosszékben szunnyadt, mit sem tudva a kinti viharról.
The baby finally slumbered peacefully in her crib.
They slumbered side by side on the long train journey.
After the long hike, we slumbered until noon the next day.
Learner examples
The baby slumbered in her bed.
A baba az ágyában szunnyadt.
He slumbered on the sofa after dinner.
Vacsora után a kanapén szunnyadt.
The cat slumbered near the window.
They slumbered in their tents all night.
I slumbered for hours after the long flight.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'slumber' in everyday conversation instead of 'sleep'. In modern English, 'sleep' is the normal word, and 'slumber' sounds poetic or literary. For example, 'I slumbered well last night' sounds unusual in casual speech; people normally say 'I slept well last night'.
Meaning
to sleep, especially peacefully
Collocations
slumber peacefully
|slumber on
|slumber undisturbed
|slumber fitfully
|slumber beneath the stars
Synonyms
sleep (The normal, everyday verb; much more common and neutral than the literary-sounding 'slumber'.)
|
doze (Suggests light or brief sleep, while 'slumber' often suggests deeper or more peaceful sleep.)
Antonyms
wake (Means to stop sleeping and become aware; the opposite of being in slumber.)
Themes
daily life
|health
|body
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To sleep, usually in a quiet and peaceful way.
To be asleep, especially in a calm or peaceful way.
NOUN
B2
LITERARY
2
szunnyadás
C1
Usage pattern:
in a [adjective] slumber
She lay in a deep slumber, not hearing the alarm.
Mély szunnyadásban feküdt, nem hallotta az ébresztőt.
After hours of restless turning, he finally fell into a gentle slumber.
Órákig tartó nyugtalan forgolódás után végül békés szunnyadásba merült.
The medicine put him into a heavy slumber.
The village lay in quiet slumber under the snow.
He was shaken from his slumber by a loud crash outside.
Learner examples
The baby is in a deep slumber.
A baba mély szunnyadásban van.
He fell into a long slumber on the sofa.
Hosszú szunnyadásba merült a kanapén.
The city seems in slumber at night.
She woke from her slumber at sunrise.
The music broke his quiet slumber.
Common mistake:
Learners may think 'slumber' as a noun is common in everyday speech. In most modern contexts, people say 'sleep' instead of 'slumber', except in poetic, literary, or playful phrases like 'deep slumber'.
Meaning
the state of being asleep
Collocations
deep slumber
|peaceful slumber
|fall into a slumber
|awaken from slumber
|drift into slumber
Synonyms
sleep (The normal, everyday noun; 'slumber' is more poetic and often used with words like 'deep' or 'peaceful'.)
Antonyms
wakefulness (Refers to the state of being awake and alert, which contrasts with being in slumber.)
Themes
daily life
|health
|body
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Sleep, usually deep and quiet sleep.
The state of being asleep, especially in a deep, calm, or peaceful way.
VERB
C1
LITERARY
3
szunnyad
C1
Usage pattern:
[something] slumbers [somewhere]
The volcano had slumbered for centuries before suddenly erupting.
A vulkán évszázadokig szunnyadt, mielőtt hirtelen kitört.
Old traditions still slumber beneath the surface of modern life.
Régi hagyományok még ma is a modern élet felszíne alatt szunnyadnak.
For years the plan slumbered in a desk drawer, forgotten by everyone.
The town seemed to slumber in the afternoon heat.
These questions have slumbered in the background of the debate until now.
Learner examples
The volcano slumbered for many years.
A vulkán sok évig szunnyadt.
The small town slumbered in the hot sun.
A kisváros szunnyadt a forró napsütésben.
The project slumbered in a file on his computer.
Old dreams slumbered in her mind.
The city slumbered before the big change came.
Common mistake:
Learners may not realize this use is figurative. It does not mean the volcano or town is literally sleeping; it describes long quiet or inactivity. It is also literary, so it is more common in books and articles than in everyday speech.
Meaning
to be inactive like sleeping
Collocations
slumber for centuries
|slumber beneath the surface
|slumber quietly
|slumber untouched
|slumber in the shadows
Synonyms
lie dormant (A common expression for something that is inactive but could become active; 'slumber' is more poetic and image-based.)
Antonyms
awaken (In this figurative sense, to become active or noticeable again, the opposite of continuing to slumber.)
Themes
time
|society
|change
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To stay quiet or not active for a long time, like something is sleeping.
To remain inactive, quiet, or not in use for a long time, in a way that is likened to sleeping.
NOUN
C1
LITERARY
4
pangás
B2
szunnyadás
C1
Usage pattern:
after a long slumber, [something] [verb]
After decades of economic slumber, the region finally began to grow again.
Évtizedes gazdasági pangás után a térség végre ismét növekedni kezdett.
The industry is waking from its long slumber.
Az iparág hosszú szunnyadásából ébred.
The old theater emerged from its slumber when a new company bought it.
The issue returned to public view after a decade of political slumber.
Tourism is slowly rising from its pandemic slumber.
Learner examples
The market is waking from its long slumber.
A piac hosszú szunnyadásából ébred.
After years of slumber, the town is busy again.
Évekig tartó pangás után a város ismét nyüzsgő.
The company came out of its slumber and started to grow.
The project rose from slumber when we got new money.
The city is leaving its slumber and changing fast.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with normal night-time sleep. In this sense it is used about things like economies, towns, or projects, meaning a long quiet period without much activity, not literal sleep.
Meaning
a period of quiet inactivity
Collocations
long slumber
|economic slumber
|political slumber
|rise from its slumber
|emerge from slumber
Synonyms
dormancy (A more technical or formal word; 'slumber' sounds more poetic and is used especially in journalism and literature.)
Antonyms
revival (Refers to renewed activity or growth, which contrasts with a state of slumber.)
Themes
time
|society
|change
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A long time when something is quiet and not active, as if it is sleeping.
A long period during which something remains inactive, quiet, or not in use, in a way likened to sleep.
Grammar
Dictionary form
slumber
IPA
GB/slˈʌmbɚ/
US/slˈʌmbɚ/
Syllables & stress
slum - ber (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (slum)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: slumber
- Plural: slumber, slumbers
Verb
- Base: slumber
- 3rd Person Singular: slumbers
- Present Participle: slumbering
- Past: slumbered
Word family
Forms
slumbers
noun
slumbering
verb
slumbered
verb
Related words
sleep
verb A1
Advanced or less common
slumberous
adjective
Expressions
awaken from slumber
1/əwˈeɪkən fɹˈʌm slˈʌmbɚ/
fixed phrase
literary
stop sleeping and wake up
To wake up from sleep.
Examples
- He slowly awakened from slumber as the sun came through the curtains.
- The city seems to awaken from slumber as the morning trains begin to run.
fall into a deep slumber
1/fˈɔl ˈɪntu ə dˈip slˈʌmbɚ/
fixed phrase
literary
begin to sleep very deeply
To start sleeping very deeply and heavily.
Examples
- Exhausted after the journey, she fell into a deep slumber as soon as her head hit the pillow.
- Within minutes the whole camp had fallen into a deep slumber.
in a deep slumber
1/ˈɪn ə dˈip slˈʌmbɚ/
fixed phrase
literary
in very deep, heavy sleep
Sleeping very deeply and not waking easily.
Examples
- The baby was in a deep slumber and didn’t stir when the door closed.
- He lay in a deep slumber, completely unaware of the noise in the street.
slumber party
1/slˈʌmbɚ pˈɑɹti/
fixed phrase
children’s or teens’ overnight sleepover
A party where children or teenagers stay the night and sleep at a friend's home, usually with games, movies, and snacks.
Examples
- My daughter is inviting three friends over for a slumber party this weekend.
- They met at a slumber party when they were ten years old and have been best friends ever since.
- The living room was covered with blankets and pillows after the girls' slumber party.