comatose

adjective

co·​ma·​tose ˈkō-mə-ˌtōs How to pronounce comatose (audio) ˈkä- How to pronounce comatose (audio)
Synonyms of comatose
1
: of, resembling, or affected with coma
The patient lay comatose, sustained by respirators.
2
: characterized by lethargic inertness : torpid
a comatose economy
Broadway was theatrically comatose that summer.

Synonyms of comatose

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of comatose in a Sentence

She lay in a comatose state. the city's downtown has been comatose for years
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The crowd was basically comatose as both teams used the chains to strangle one another. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026 Within a matter of minutes, Hicks, Hudson, Vasquez, and Gorman are the only Marines left standing — and Gorman's technically comatose. — Richard Edwards, Space.com, 17 July 2026 Polaski, a freshman at the University of Alabama, was found comatose on the concrete by resort staff and immediately rushed to a local hospital. — Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 17 July 2026 One of the most intense sequences finds Lucas protecting a still-comatose Max while a horde of demodogs chases him through a hospital. — Sezin Devi Koehler, Entertainment Weekly, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for comatose

Word History

Etymology

French comateux, from Greek kōmat-, kōma — see coma entry 1

First Known Use

1755, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of comatose was in 1755

Rhymes for comatose

See All Rhymes for comatose

Browse Nearby Words

comatic
comatose
comatula
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Comatose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comatose. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Medical Definition

comatose

adjective
co·​ma·​tose ˈkō-mə-ˌtōs How to pronounce comatose (audio) ˈkäm-ə- How to pronounce comatose (audio)
: of, resembling, or affected with coma
a comatose patient
a comatose condition

More from Merriam-Webster on comatose

Nglish: Translation of comatose for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All