stupor

/ˈstupər/

/ˈstupə/

Other forms: stupors

You’re not in a stupor if you’re reading this. A person in a stupor is barely conscious, just really out of it.

The words stupor and stupid come from the Latin root stupere that means basically “to be stunned.” Extreme heat and humidity, drugs or alcohol, or some kind of medical issue could send you into a stupor. Shocking news can also send you into a stupor, and some people feel like they’re in a stupor in the morning until they’ve had coffee.

Definitions of stupor

1. noun

   marginal consciousness
   synonyms: grogginess, semiconsciousness, stupefaction

   type of:

   unconsciousness

   a state lacking normal awareness of the self or environment
2. noun

   the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally
   synonyms: daze, shock

   type of:

   stupefaction

   a feeling of stupefied astonishment