comatose
Beyond mere sleep
Comatose describes someone in a coma—a state of deep unconsciousness from which they cannot be roused.
More loosely, it describes extreme lethargy or unresponsiveness: After Thanksgiving dinner, we were all comatose on the couch.
The figurative use suggests being so sluggish as to be effectively unconscious.
Lacking energy or alertness
- torpidInactive and slow
- sluggishSlow and inactive
- drowsyNearly falling asleep
- listlessLacking energy or enthusiasm
languid · stupefied · groggy · zonked · dazed · foggy · zombie-like · half-asleep
Not awake or aware
- insensibleUnaware, without feeling
- senselessLacking reason or awareness
- unawareLacking knowledge of something
- insentientLacking consciousness or awareness
oblivious · fainted · collapsed · swoon · stuporous · non-responsive · lights-out
Inactive but capable
- inertInactive, physically or chemically
- lifelessDevoid of animation
- motionlessLacking all movement
- unmovingLacking any motion
static · stagnant · idle · paralyzed · immobile · suspended · vegetating · shutdown
Failing to react or reply
- intensive-careAcute medical monitoring unit
- ventilatorMechanical breathing apparatus
- life-supportEquipment maintaining vital functions
- neurologicalOf the nervous system
sedation · stupor · anesthesia · trauma · vegetative · brain-dead · monitoring · neurosurgeon
lethargic
Lacking energy or alertness
listless · languid · stupefied · groggy · zonked · dazed · foggy · zombie-like · half-asleep · somnolent
unconscious
Not awake or aware
- insensibleUnaware, without feeling
- senselessLacking reason or awareness
- unawareLacking knowledge of something
insentient · oblivious · fainted · collapsed · swoon · stuporous · non-responsive · lights-out
dormant
Inactive but capable
- inertInactive, physically or chemically
- lifelessDevoid of animation
- motionlessLacking all movement
unmoving · static · stagnant · idle · paralyzed · immobile · suspended · vegetating · shutdown · flatlined
unresponsive
Failing to react or reply
- intensive-careAcute medical monitoring unit
- ventilatorMechanical breathing apparatus
- life-supportEquipment maintaining vital functions
neurological · sedation · stupor · anesthesia · trauma · vegetative · brain-dead · monitoring · neurosurgeon · intubated
- states of beingalive, dead, living, existing, conscious
- drowsysleepy, drowsy, tired, dozy, groggy
- incapacitatedunconscious, knocked out, out cold, passed out, paralyzed
- intoxication stateshigh, stoned, drunk, intoxicated, buzzed
- asleepasleep, fast asleep, deep sleep, sound asleep, snoring
- exhaustedtired, weary, exhausted, drained, fatigued
comatoseconscious
Mentally present and alert
awake · alert · aware · responsive · lucid
- comatose patientUnconscious person under care