To have sex with someone, or (literally) to share a bed with someone.
Have sex with someone, or literally lie in bed next to them.
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
To have sex with someone (euphemistic).
"She later found out he had been sleeping with her best friend for months."
I can't believe you slept with her.
— Bridget Jones's Diary, film, 2001 (screenplay by Richard Curtis and Andrew Davies)
To share a bed or sleeping space with someone (literal, non-sexual).
"The toddler refuses to sleep with stuffed animals — she just wants a blanket."
To sleep in the presence of or beside someone.
Have sex with someone, or literally lie in bed next to them.
The euphemistic sexual meaning is by far the dominant sense when used about adults. The literal sense (sharing a bed, non-sexually) is still understood and used, especially about children, pets, or in clearly non-romantic contexts. One of the most common sexual euphemisms in English.
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Listen to native speakers using "sleep with" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Jump to every phrasal verb built on the same verb, particle, or level.