Meaning & use
bedridden
Last updated
Meaning
adjectivenot comparable
Unable to leave bed for a long period because of illness, injury, or old age.
Grammar: Used after 'be' or before a noun; it describes a lasting state, not a temporary rest.
Patterns
- be bedridden
- bedridden with something
- a bedridden patient
After the stroke, he was bedridden for months.
She cares for her bedridden mother at home.
The virus left him bedridden with a high fever.
Common combinations
- bedridden with
- He was bedridden with pneumonia for two weeks.
- bedridden patient
- The nurse checked on every bedridden patient.
- bedridden for months
- After the accident, she was bedridden for months.
- become bedridden
- As the disease progressed, he became bedridden.
Synonyms and how they differ
- confined to bed
- A more neutral phrase with the same meaning; it can also describe a short stay, while 'bedridden' suggests a long-term condition.
- immobile
- Means unable to move, but it can apply to people who are not in bed.
Opposites
Commonly confused: bedridden or bedspread?
bedridden vs bedspread
A bedspread is a decorative cover for a bed; it has nothing to do with being ill.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'bedridden' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Bedridden' describes a long-term state of being unable to leave bed, so 'since his operation last year' fits. A one-hour rest is too short; 'the bedridden' as a noun is not standard; and 'bedridden' is not a verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bedridden”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.