catatonic

American  

[kat-uh-ton-ik] / ˌkæt əˈtɒn ɪk /

adjective

1. having catatonia, a syndrome characterized by muscular rigidity and mental stupor.

   The schizophrenic remained in a catatonic state.

2. appearing to be in a daze or stupor; unresponsive.

   She had the catatonic expression of an avant-garde model.

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noun

1. a person having or experiencing catatonia.

Other Word Forms

• catatonically adverb

Etymology

Origin of catatonic

First recorded in 1905–10; cataton(ia) ( def. ) + -ic ( def. )

Example Sentences

And besides, as David Hill of Rolling Stone notes, American sports—which naturally lend themselves to micro-betting with their long pauses and occasionally catatonic pace—were founded to enable wagering.

From The Wall Street Journal

Sue’s eyes went wide and she got a far-off look, like she was about to go catatonic.

From Literature

Season 3 finds him a broken man, near catatonic with guilt.

From Los Angeles Times

My Hollywood ending was far from glamorous: me, catatonic on Nick’s couch, realizing I had given it all up for an honest-to-God psychopath.

From Los Angeles Times

“I became almost catatonic in the Philippines. I could think of no reason to do anything.”

From New York Times