sleepover

sleepover — noun

1. an event, usually for children or young teenagers, where guests sleep overnight

1.nounA2
Definition

an event, usually for children or young teenagers, where guests sleep overnight at a friend's home and spend the evening doing fun activities such as watching movies, playing games, and eating snacks together

Example

Ezra invited four friends for a sleepover to celebrate his birthday.

invite + for / to celebrate (purpose pattern)

The children packed their sleeping bags and toothbrushes for the sleepover at Yumi's house.

pack + sleeping bags / toothbrushes (preparation collocations)

Common collocations
  • have a sleepover
  • host a sleepover
  • go to a sleepover
  • stay for a sleepover
  • first sleepover
  • birthday sleepover
Synonyms
  • slumber party

    common US synonym, slightly more formal than 'sleepover'; often used for planned themed events

  • pajama party

    emphasises the pyjama-wearing aspect; common in both US and UK contexts

  • stayover

    rare, more general; not limited to children or parties

Grammar Patterns

have / host / throw a sleepover

go to a sleepover

stay for / at a sleepover

Usage Note

Common in children's and teenage social contexts. For adults, phrases like 'stay over' or 'crash at someone's place' are more natural. The word can refer either to the event itself (the party) or the action of sleeping over.

Common Mistakes

My boyfriend stayed for a sleepover on Friday night.
My boyfriend stayed over on Friday night.
'sleepover' implies a social party for children or teens, not an adult staying overnight at a partner's home.
We are planning a sleepover party for Saturday.
We are planning a sleepover for Saturday.
'sleepover' already means a party; adding 'party' is redundant.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three terms describe the same basic activity — children or teenagers staying overnight at a friend's home for fun. 'Sleepover' is the most common and neutral term in everyday conversation, used across both US and UK English. 'Slumber party' sounds slightly more formal or old-fashioned; it often suggests a planned event with decorations, themed games, and a specific start time, and is more common in American English. 'Pajama party' is less common overall but highlights the pyjama-wearing aspect; it appears frequently in marketing for children's products and in Taiwan English as a direct translation of '睡衣派對.' In most everyday situations, 'sleepover' is the safest and most widely understood choice.

sleepover ↗slumber partypajama party

Common collocations

Nouns

  • sleepover guest
  • sleepover party (redundant — avoid)
  • sleepover bag

Phrases

  • have a sleepover
  • go to a sleepover
  • host a sleepover
  • stay for a sleepover

Prepositions

  • for a sleepover
  • at a sleepover

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Formed by combining the verb 'sleep' with the adverb 'over', from the phrasal verb 'sleep over' (to spend the night at someone else's home). The noun form first appeared in mid-20th-century American English, originally in children's social contexts. The idea of staying over at a friend's house for fun became a common childhood ritual, and the word grew from describing the action to naming the event itself.