How to Use catatonic in a Sentence

catatonic

adjective
  • A few more years of this and the simple joy of being able to leave a project out on a workbench overnight is going to leave me catatonic with glee.
    Eric Limer, Popular Mechanics, 10 Mar. 2017
  • Surrounded by a chorus of medics and nurses, the adult Kay (Mr Grässle) lies in a catatonic state.
    The Economist, 31 Dec. 2019
  • Similarly, the Skripals were found slumped on a bench in a catatonic state back in March.
    Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 5 July 2018
  • That’s where Mona Lisa (Jeon Jong-seo), a catatonic waif, is seated on her knees in a straitjacket.
    Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 5 Sep. 2021
  • No one trade would have saved this catatonic defense or plugged every hole in the Cavs’ rotation.
    Rob Mahoney, SI.com, 8 Feb. 2018
  • Tears and catatonic poses in the Ravens’ postgame locker room told the story of what occurred on that climactic play.
    Childs Walker, baltimoresun.com, 24 Dec. 2021
  • This whole affair sounds horrific, which might be why the females have evolved a catatonic state to endure it.
    Jason Bittel, Smithsonian, 9 Aug. 2017
  • This whole affair sounds horrific, which might be why the females have evolved a catatonic state to endure it.
    Jason Bittel, Smithsonian, 9 Aug. 2017
  • Of course, Cueto had to be perfect because the Giants offense was catatonic yet again.
    Andrew Baggarly, sacbee.com, 7 May 2017
  • Williams plays a doctor who has, at least temporarily, helped patients come out of decades-long catatonic states.
    Dorrine Mendoza, CNN, 11 Aug. 2019
  • It’s about a woman whose 8-year-old son is nearly catatonic and whose mother has dementia.
    Matthew Gilbert, BostonGlobe.com, 24 Oct. 2022
  • God, Eleven trying to speak to her catatonic mom is devastating.
    Emma Dibdin, Cosmopolitan, 27 Oct. 2017
  • The most recent wave brings her from Alabama to stay with Gifty, bedridden in the catatonic thrall of a major depressive episode as Gifty searches for answers in mice.
    Barbara Vandenburgh, USA TODAY, 1 Sep. 2020
  • The fragile mother, Angela, entered a catatonic state, smoking Woodbines and staring blankly into the fire, lost in grief.
    Laurie Gwen Shapiro, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2023
  • Some have been unconscious, some vomiting and others in a catatonic state.
    Mara H. Gottfried, Twin Cities, 8 May 2017
  • Unfortunately, getting answers won’t be easy because the man has been in a catatonic state for almost a decade.
    Chuck Barney, Detroit Free Press, 7 July 2018
  • Their deceased son’s catatonic ex-soldier-slash-illing machine friend?
    Matt Brennan, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2023
  • But at that moment, those few sentences sent me spiraling into what felt like an almost catatonic state.
    Fortune, 12 Nov. 2021
  • Mom Melissa, who put aside a stressful career to be at home for her kids, turns from catatonic to vengeful, while dad Jim, the breadwinner who is cautious and callous, itches to get back to work.
    Steve Bennett, San Antonio Express-News, 8 Mar. 2018
  • Ebony Archie, barefoot and crying, was almost catatonic.
    The Washington Post, AL.com, 19 May 2017
  • Vinicius, who had a goal and two assists in Brazil’s first three games, appeared to go catatonic in the loss, taking just one shot on target before being subbed off in the 63rd minute, his shortest performance in this World Cup.
    Kevin Baxter, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2022
  • In them, a harrowing moment of self-harm seems to put her into a catatonic state, leading to her hospitalization.
    Lauren Huff, EW.com, 11 June 2021
  • Back in season 2, Julian — grappling with addiction and the trauma of being the one to find baby Jericho dead while Dorothy was in a catatonic state — overdosed at a Christmas party.
    Benjamin Vanhoose, Peoplemag, 17 Mar. 2023
  • My mother suffered from severe recurring depression for 30 years, episodes that floored her to the point of near-catatonic inertia.
    Anthea Rowan, idahostatesman, 15 Mar. 2018
  • Gideon is overwhelmed with new choices, forcing her into a catatonic state; Astra and Spooner combine powers to get into Gideon’s mindscape and find a virus.
    Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2021
  • There was the medical student who’d become catatonic when faced with an exam, and was accused of wanting, at some level, to jettison his career.
    Eric Boodman, STAT, 19 June 2018
  • Durst, who has numerous medical problems, sat in a wheelchair with a catatonic stare during much of the sentencing hearing.
    Editors, USA TODAY, 17 Oct. 2021
  • Durst, who has numerous medical issues, sat in a wheelchair with a catatonic stare during much of the sentencing hearing.
    BostonGlobe.com, 17 Oct. 2021
  • Most of the state laws prohibiting the use of salvinorin A were passed in the mid-2000s after videos of teenagers smoking salvia and going catatonic or losing control of their behaviors and emotions began circulating on the web.
    Daniel Oberhaus, Wired, 14 Oct. 2020
  • Margaret alternates between raving and a catatonic state, and Archibald finds her difficult to manage.
    Elizabeth Angell, Town & Country, 30 Oct. 2017

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'catatonic.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Last Updated: