Meaning & use
slept like a baby
Last updated
“slept like a baby” is a form of “sleep like a baby”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
phraseidiom
Slept very deeply and peacefully, without waking up during the night.
Grammar: This is the past tense of 'sleep like a baby'; it describes a completed night's sleep. Use 'sleep like a baby' for present or general habits.
Patterns
- someone slept like a baby
- slept like a baby all night
After the long hike, I slept like a baby and didn't wake up once.
She was so tired that she slept like a baby through the thunderstorm.
The new mattress is so comfortable that I slept like a baby.
Common combinations
- slept like a baby all night
- He slept like a baby all night and woke up refreshed.
- slept like a baby through the noise
- The baby slept like a baby through the loud party next door.
- slept like a baby after a long day
- After a long day at work, she slept like a baby.
Synonyms and how they differ
- slept soundly
- Means slept deeply and well, but it is more neutral and less vivid than 'slept like a baby'.
- slept like a log
- Very similar in meaning, but 'like a log' emphasizes being completely motionless, while 'like a baby' emphasizes peacefulness.
Word family
- sleep like a baby phrase
- The base form of the idiom, used for present or habitual deep sleep.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'slept like a baby' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The idiom means to sleep deeply and peacefully, so it fits a night of good sleep. Option 0 is wrong because worry usually prevents peaceful sleep. Option 2 is odd because a loud concert would disturb sleep. Option 3 contradicts the meaning because not being able to fall asleep is the opposite of sleeping like a baby.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “slept like a baby”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.