Meaning & use
comatose
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Meanings
adjectivenot comparablemedical
In a deep state of unconsciousness, not responding to any stimulation.
Grammar: Used to describe a person's state; cannot be graded (not 'more comatose').
Patterns
- be comatose
- become comatose
- go comatose
After the accident, he was comatose for three weeks.
The patient lay comatose in the intensive care unit.
She was found comatose and was rushed to hospital.
adjectivenot comparableinformaldisapproving
Extremely tired, lazy, or lacking energy; unable to function normally.
Grammar: Used informally to describe a person's lack of energy or a situation that is dull.
Patterns
- be comatose
- feel comatose
After the long flight, I felt completely comatose.
The party was so boring that everyone was practically comatose.
Common combinations
- comatose patient
- The comatose patient was monitored around the clock.
- comatose state
- He remained in a comatose state for months.
- lie comatose
- She lay comatose in the hospital bed.
- go comatose
- He went comatose after the head injury.
Synonyms and how they differ
- unconscious
- Unconscious is a general word for not being awake; comatose is a specific medical state of deep unconsciousness.
- insensible
- Insensible is formal and means unaware or unconscious; comatose is stronger and implies a medical condition.
Opposites
Word family
- coma noun
- A state of deep unconsciousness.
Commonly confused: comatose or comma?
comatose vs comma
Coma is a medical state; comma is a punctuation mark.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'comatose' correctly?
Choose one answer.
Comatose describes a deep unconscious state, especially in a medical context. Option 1 is incorrect because overeating does not cause a coma; option 3 is wrong because comatose does not mean anxious; option 4 contradicts the meaning of comatose (a comatose animal cannot wag its tail).
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “comatose”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.