comatose

/ˈkəʊmətəʊs/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkəʊmətəʊs/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈkō-mə-ˌtōs ˈkä-/ (ame, mw)

comatose — adjective

  • comatosepositive
  • more comatosecomparative
  • most comatosesuperlative

1. being in a coma and unable to wake up or react to voices, touch, or pain

1.形容詞C1
釋義

being in a coma and unable to wake up or react to voices, touch, or pain

例句

After the fall, Nora lay comatose in the hospital bed for two days.

pattern: lie/remain + comatose

Doctors kept Liang comatose while they treated the swelling in his brain.

同義詞
  • unconscious

    broader and not always as prolonged as a coma

  • unresponsive

    medical focus on not reacting to stimuli

  • insensible

    formal or literary, not common in everyday speech

反義詞
  • conscious

    awake and able to notice what is around you

  • responsive

    able to react to voices, touch, or pain

  • alert

    fully awake and attentive

文法句型

be/remain comatose

lie comatose

leave somebody comatose

用法筆記

Mostly medical and usually used after verbs like be, remain, lie, or leave. Distinguish from sense 2, which is an informal exaggeration about extreme tiredness rather than a real coma.

常見錯誤

❌The baby was comatose during his nap.
✅The baby was asleep during his nap.
💡For normal sleep, use 'asleep'; 'comatose' suggests a real coma or an extreme figurative comparison.

2. so exhausted or drunk that you can hardly think and may fall into a very deep sl

2.形容詞C1
釋義

so exhausted or drunk that you can hardly think and may fall into a very deep sleep

例句

After three night shifts, Eshe felt comatose on the bus home.

feel + comatose after extreme tiredness

By the end of finals week, Joshua looked comatose at breakfast.

同義詞
  • exhausted

    broader and less dramatic than comatose

  • wiped out

    informal and common for being extremely tired

  • dead tired

    informal and strong, but less focused on deep sleep

  • half-asleep

    weaker, stressing drowsiness rather than total exhaustion

反義詞

文法句型

feel comatose after + activity

look comatose

be comatose after drinking

用法筆記

This sense is informal and often exaggerated in speech. Use it for extreme tiredness or too much alcohol, not for an actual medical coma.

常見錯誤

❌I felt comatose after lunch.
✅I felt sleepy after lunch.
💡This figurative sense is only for very extreme tiredness or drink, not mild sleepiness.