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

"This experience has left Morrissey in a catatonic state."

From BBC • Mar. 13, 2026

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 • Jan. 27, 2026

“I went into a catatonic stage and had a nervous breakdown,” Mercredi wrote in her 2021 book, “Sacred Bundles Unborn.”

From Seattle Times • Jul. 12, 2023

The airwaves are filled with disturbing fast-food ads and a cult-hit cartoon, a forbidden episode of which puts viewers into a catatonic state of existential despair.

From New York Times • Jun. 22, 2023

There were also times I witnessed heated arguments between my friends and their moms that left me in a catatonic state.

From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi